Ayala Museum
The Ayala Museum is a museum in Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines. It is run privately by the Ayala Foundation and houses archaeological, ethnographic, historical, fine arts, numismatics, and ecclesiastical exhibits. Since its establishment in April 1967, the museum has been committed to showcasing overseas collections and situating contemporary Philippine art in the global arena in a two-way highway of mutual cooperation and exchange with local and international associates. The museum was reopened on December 4, 2021, after a two-year renovation.
History
Envisioned during the 1950s by Philippine abstract painter Fernando M. Zobel, as a museum of Philippine history and iconography, the Ayala Museum was established in April 1967 as a project of the Filipinas Foundation, now known as the Ayala Foundation. The museum was housed at the Insular Life Building until 1974 before being transferred to the old Makati Stock Exchange Building. The old building was designed by National Artist Leandro Locsin.Plans to transfer to the Ayala Museum were made as early as 2002. The old building that hosted the old Ayala Museum was demolished which met some criticism from heritage conservationists. The old museum was soon replaced by Greenbelt 4, which opened in 2004 and a part of Greenbelt's expansion project.
The museum moved to a new six-story building made from granite, steel and glass, which was designed by Leandro V. Locsin Partners, led by Leandro Y. Locsin Jr., the son of the architect that designed the old Ayala Museum. It was formally dedicated at the 170th anniversary of the Ayala Corporation on September 28, 2004, and stands on the same site of the original Ayala Museum.
The museum temporarily closed on June 1, 2019, for renovations, which were expected to finish by the end of 2020. These renovations were halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but subsequently finished by November 2021. The museum reopened on December 4, 2021.
Permanent exhibitions
- Ayala Museum: In Microcosm – A display of works from the various art holdings of its permanent collection and from its existing long-term loan agreements designed to give an overview of the cultural heritage of the Philippines.
- The Digital Gallery – A space for visitors to virtually explore artworks, artifacts, and music up close from the various holdings of the museum and collections of the Filipinas Heritage Library through an interactive.
- The Diorama Experience — Sixty handcrafted dioramas form the core of Ayala Museum's historical collections and chronicle Philippine history. The exhibition highlights major events and themes from prehistoric times to the recognition of Philippine independence by the United States in 1946. The exhibition culminates with People Power, a multimedia presentation that chronicles the events that led to the First EDSA People Power Revolution in 1986.
- Gold of Ancestors — An exhibition of more than 1,000 gold objects from cultures that existed in the Philippines before colonization in the 16th century. Many of these artifacts were adornments of elite individuals and their deities that include an array of golden sashes, necklaces, earrings and finger rings, bracelets, and anklets.
- A Millennium of Contact — A display of more than 500 Chinese and Southeast Asian ceramics found in the Philippines, telling the story of how the country forged social and commercial ties with China and its neighbors.
Changing exhibitions