National Museum of Anthropology

The National Museum of Anthropology occupies the neoclassical former Finance Building on Agrifina Circle, built between 1916 and 1918 to designs by Ralph Harrington Doane, the consulting architect to the government at the time. It faces the Museum of Natural History across the circle and stands next to the Museum of Fine Arts, completing the trio of national museums on the edge of Rizal Park. It was formerly known as the Museum of the Filipino People.

Where the Fine Arts museum tells the story of Philippine painting, this one looks further back, at the peoples, cultures and trade of the islands before and during the colonial period. One of the main exhibitions, The San Diego: 500 Years of Maritime Trade, displays objects recovered from the wreck of the Spanish galleon San Diego, a reminder of the long history of maritime trade through Manila.

Other galleries are smaller and more focused. Garing examines the ivory trade, Lantaka covers the small bronze cannons once used across the archipelago, and Kaban ng Lahi presents archaeological treasures. The Baybayin gallery explains the pre-colonial scripts of the Philippines, Hibla ng Lahing Filipino displays textiles from different regions, and Anito looks at the traditional beliefs of northern Luzon. Together they give useful background before travelling to the provinces.

Admission is free and walk-in visitors are welcome. Groups of 20 or more must book through the reservation site, and Sundays, Mondays and public holidays are reserved for walk-ins. The galleries are spread over several floors, so allow about two hours, and leave larger bags behind if you can. School groups can make weekday mornings noisy, so early afternoon is often calmer.

If you are short of time, the San Diego exhibition and the Baybayin gallery give the clearest picture of the islands' past, and both are easy to follow without a guide. The textile gallery is a good companion for anyone planning to buy woven goods later in the trip.

The nearest LRT station is United Nations, on the far side of the park, and the walk takes you past the other museums. Most visitors combine two museums in a day rather than all three, and this one pairs naturally with either the Fine Arts or Natural History museum. It suits curious travellers, students and anyone planning trips to the regions who wants to understand the cultures they will meet there.