National Museum of Fine Arts

The National Museum of Fine Arts occupies the neoclassical Legislative Building on the edge of Rizal Park. Designed by Ralph Harrington Doane, Antonio Toledo and Juan Arellano and built between 1918 and 1926, it was first planned as the National Library before becoming the seat of Congress. It was heavily damaged in February 1945, rebuilt from 1949 on its original footprint, and later housed the Senate again from 1987 to 1997. It was declared a National Historical Landmark in 2010.

The museum has 29 galleries and hallway displays covering 19th-century Filipino masters, National Artists, modern painters, sculptors and printmakers, together with works on loan from public bodies and private collectors. The best-known work is Juan Luna's Spoliarium of 1884, an enormous canvas more than seven metres wide showing the bodies of dead gladiators being dragged from a Roman arena. It won the first of three gold medals at the National Exhibition of Fine Arts in Madrid that year, and it is the natural place to begin.

Do not miss the restored Old Senate Session Hall, reopened in 2012, which gives a sense of the building's political past. Temporary exhibitions change through the year, so check the museum's website for what is on. The galleries are spread over several floors and it is easy to spend longer than planned.

Admission is free and walk-in visitors are welcome. Groups of 20 or more must book in advance through the museum's reservation site, and Sundays, Mondays and public holidays are kept for walk-in visitors. On Sundays the museum runs joiners' tours at 10.30am and 2pm, with registration shortly before each. Bags may need to be left at the entrance, so travel light. Allow two hours, or longer if you are interested in Philippine painting.

If you only have time for a few rooms, start with the Spoliarium, then work through the 19th-century galleries before moving on to the modern and contemporary works. Photography rules can differ between galleries and temporary shows, so look for signs before taking pictures and avoid using flash.

The museum is part of the National Museum's central complex with the Museum of Anthropology and the Museum of Natural History, both a short walk across Agrifina Circle, and Intramuros is just to the north. It suits art lovers, students and families looking for a free, air-conditioned morning out of the heat.