Legarda Encourages Visits to Museums, Invites Public to the National Museum of Natural History

In celebration of International Museum Day (May 18), Senator Loren Legarda encouraged everyone to make frequent visits to museums to enrich understanding of our culture and history.

She also invited the public to visit the National Museum of Natural History at the National Museum Complex in Rizal Park, Manila, as it opens on May 18.

Legarda, a staunch advocate of art and culture promotion, said that museums are vessels of important historical knowledge and cultural heritage and they showcase the invaluable Filipino talent.

“I hope we can all take time to make regular visits to our museums to immerse in our history and culture. Our National Museum has many interesting permanent and special exhibitions and organizes lectures, workshops and other activities that help us better understand and appreciate our heritage. This will also help strengthen national identity and pride,” Legarda said, noting that admission is now free at the National Museum.

Currently, there are three buildings of the National Museum at the Rizal Park: National Museum of Fine Arts, National Museum of Anthropology, and National Museum of Natural History.

The Senator has been working with the National Museum to organize lecture series and demonstrations, particularly on weaving, at the Hibla ng Lahing Filipino, the country’s first permanent textile gallery.

Legarda is the patron of the Hibla gallery, as well as the Baybayin: Ancient and Traditional Scripts of the Philippines gallery, and the Rice, Biodiversity and Climate Change exhibit—all of which are her projects with the National Museum. She has also supported the creation of the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan gallery and the exhibit on Bangsamoro heritage title Faith, Tradition and Place.

As Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Legarda ensures adequate funding for the National Museum as well as its regional museums, which will also host Hibla galleries featuring the various regions’ traditional textiles and weaving heritage. The National Museum in Ilocos Sur already has itsHibla Iloko gallery, which the Senator also supported.

Moreover, Legarda and the National Museum have also started bringing the Hibla exhibition to different countries through our embassies. The first Hibla ng Lahing Filipino Travelling Exhibitionwas held in October 2017 at the Philippine Embassy in London, then in March 2018 at the Philippine Embassy in Lisbon.

“We have a very rich heritage, so rich that we have a lot to learn and understand about the traditions and ways of living of our ancestors; we have to embrace the culture that is unique to us, so we can have a better understanding of our roots and of who we are. Our museums will help us learn about these things,” Legarda stressed.

The Senator also said that there are a lot of museums in the country that feature contemporary art exhibitions.

Legarda invited the public to visit the Tie A String Around The World exhibit at the 12F Gallery School of Design and Arts Campus De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.

Tie A String Around The World was mounted as the Philippine Pavilion at the Venice Art Biennale in 2015, when the Philippines successfully returned to the world’s oldest and most prestigious global contemporary art platform after a 51-year absence.

“Art and culture appreciation is essential for nation building and to instill pride of place, national pride as a people. Art is our soul and culture is the bridge that unifies us as a nation, however divided and diverse,” Legarda stressed.

“There are a lot of museums around the country, each holding vast information about our culture and heritage that would be of interest to everyone, kids and adults alike. Let us take time to enrich our mind, heart and soul through the wealth of knowledge we could gain from our museums,” Legarda concluded.