Ayala Museum

The Ayala Museum is a private museum in the business district of Makati and the main cultural stop in that part of the city. It was founded in 1967 as a project of what is now the Ayala Foundation, following an idea of the artist Fernando Zobel in the 1950s. The present building, designed by Leandro Y. Locsin Jr., opened in 2004 on the edge of Greenbelt, and after a renovation from 2019 it reopened in December 2021.

Its most popular display is the Diorama Experience, a series of 60 handcrafted dioramas that tell the history of the Philippines from prehistoric times to 1946, finishing with a display on People Power. It is an efficient way to grasp the country's story in an hour, and it helps to put the sights of Intramuros and Rizal Park into context.

The second highlight is Gold of Ancestors, a collection of more than 1,000 pre-colonial gold objects, including jewellery and ornaments that show the skill of goldsmiths in the islands long before the Spanish arrived. Upstairs, Pioneers of Philippine Art presents works by Juan Luna, Fernando Amorsolo and Fernando Zobel, and the museum also holds tradeware ceramics from the Roberto T. Villanueva collection. Temporary exhibitions fill the remaining galleries.

Admission charges, opening days and hours should be checked before you go, as they are announced on the museum's own channels and can change for events. Parking is in the Greenbelt basement, and the museum is easily reached on foot from the Makati hotels. Allow around two hours for the permanent collections.

Before you go, check the museum's website and social media for temporary closures and current ticket options. A morning visit, when Greenbelt is quieter, makes for a calm start, and you can finish with lunch nearby before heading back into the afternoon traffic.

Being in the middle of Greenbelt, the museum is surrounded by restaurants, cafés and shops, so it is simple to build a half-day around it with lunch in the mall and a walk through the gardens. It suits families with older children, first-time visitors who want a clear overview of Philippine history and anyone interested in pre-colonial craft. It is also a good choice if you are staying in Makati and do not want to cross the city to the old town.