Museums · Manila · Philippines
5 best museums in Manila
The collections worth your time, how long each takes and how to fit them together.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Start with National Museum of Fine Arts, Casa Manila and National Museum of Anthropology. Together the 5 picks below take roughly 7–9 hours across 3 areas; 3 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 5
- Free entry
- 3
- Time to see them all
- 7–9 hours
- Areas
- Ermita and Malate, Intramuros and Bonifacio Global City (BGC)
Museums in Manila
Gallery · Ermita and Malate
1.National Museum of Fine Arts
In the neoclassical former Legislative Building, this museum holds Philippine art from the colonial period to the 20th century.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Museum · Intramuros
2.Casa Manila
A reconstruction of a 19th-century wealthy family's house opposite San Agustin, furnished with period furniture, a grand sala, a kitchen and an azotea terrace.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
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Museum · Ermita and Malate
3.National Museum of Anthropology
Across the plaza from the Fine Arts museum, this museum traces the Philippines' pre-colonial cultures, with the Manunggul burial jar, textiles from many ethnic groups and finds from the San Diego, a Spanish galleon sunk in 1600.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Ermita and Malate
4.National Museum of Natural History
Housed in a restored 1940 government building, the museum is built around a central atrium with a towering 'Tree of Life' structure.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
- Architecture
Museum · Bonifacio Global City (BGC)
5.The Mind Museum
A hands-on science museum in BGC with galleries on the universe, Earth, life, atoms and technology, plus a life-size dinosaur skeleton cast.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Ermita and Malate | National Museum of Fine Arts, National Museum of Anthropology and National Museum of Natural History | 1.5–2 hours + 1.5 hours + 1.5–2 hours |
| Intramuros | Casa Manila | 45 minutes |
| Bonifacio Global City (BGC) | The Mind Museum | 2–3 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 5, 3 free, 1 low cost, 1 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is The Mind Museum; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 3 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Ermita and Malate): National Museum of Fine Arts → National Museum of Anthropology, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Ermita and Malate and Intramuros): National Museum of Natural History → Casa Manila, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Bonifacio Global City (BGC)): The Mind Museum, at least 2 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- October: highs of 31°C (88°F), about 16 rainy days, quiet crowds. Rains ease through the month, though late typhoons are possible.
- June: highs of 33°C (91°F), about 17 rainy days, quiet crowds. The rainy season begins, with heavy afternoon storms and occasional flooding.
- September: highs of 31°C (88°F), about 21 rainy days, quiet crowds. Still wet with typhoons possible; Christmas decorations start to appear in malls.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Bonifacio Global City (BGC) — Planned, walkable district of towers, parks and outdoor malls in Taguig
- Ermita and Malate — Old tourist belt by Manila Bay, Rizal Park and the National Museum
- Intramuros — The walled Spanish city, with a few heritage hotels inside the walls
More of Manila
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Manila?
National Museum of Fine Arts. In the neoclassical former Legislative Building, this museum holds Philippine art from the colonial period to the 20th century.
+Which of these are free in Manila?
National Museum of Fine Arts, National Museum of Anthropology and National Museum of Natural History.