Beautiful place perfect for students and adults to learn and unwind. I recommend for anyone to…read morecheck out with good photo opportunities and experience something new

Art in Island is a beautiful museum. Featuring an assortment of interactive art and an exhibition…read morearea, there is something for every age and every art lover. Some optical illusions of famous work, shadow walls, a state of the art 360 viewing room, and 3D pieces make this place a phenomenal way to spend a few hours. They have nursing rooms and a lovely cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. Oh yeah, wear sox or you will have to buy some; there are no shoes allowed.

I first found out about the School of Design and Arts' Museum of Contemporary Art and Design when I…read moregot lost while looking for the bathroom. I opened the wrong door and - voila! - there's a naked dude pretending to be a statue (not naked naked, he had a sort of a tea cozy on his equipment because this was still a Catholic school), among other exhibitions. I learned that day that the College of Saint Benilde had its own museum, and that the exhibits were mostly occupied by the students of the School of Design and Arts, as well as the occassional famous person. I thought it was really cool, and I ended up getting a selfie with the naked dude statue because why the hell not.

MCAD is a really beautiful space for art. I'm not sure the students at Benilde, La Salle, and St…read more Scho know how lucky they are to be in such close proximity to a gallery that, though still pretty young, manages to hold beautiful, interesting exhibits of artists from all over. The last show I've seen was the one-man exhibit of Paul Pfeiffer, entitled Vitruvian Figure, and there has not been a better use of MCAD's hugeness in a while. Recreations of the Philippine arena, a moving image of a sunrise/sunset, and a dark theater screening of a spoken word choir performance echoing the video installations outside really drove the point home of how greatly the museum space elevates the art housed within it. What's great too is that they involve the CSB student body by giving some the opportunity to be mediators and engage visitors by speaking about the works and answering questions about them. It's a pretty cool thing, as it allows people to have a more personal exchange with the works there. I'm glad they've gotten their own entrance along one of the side roads now. Though I fear for the open shelving they have as their bag deposit, it does open the museum a little more to the public. MCAD brims with so much possibility and I look forward to my next visit.

Visited The Mind Museum and had a great time exploring. The museum is modern, well-organized, and…read morepacked with interactive exhibits that make science fun and easy to understand for all ages. One of the highlights was the human evolution section, with detailed life-size figures and displays that walk you through how humans developed over time. There are also engaging exhibits on biology, space, physics, and technology that keep you curious as you move from gallery to gallery. We especially enjoyed a mirror-style exhibit that visually displays two individuals into one reflection -- a creative and fun way to explore perception and how the mind interprets images. The space is clean, air-conditioned, and easy to navigate, and the staff were friendly and helpful. It's a great stop if you're in the BGC area and looking for something educational, interactive, and family-friendly. Highly recommended for kids, teens, and adults alike.

The Mind Museum was a fun kid-centered oasis in the midst of the hustle and bustle of BGC. There…read morewas so much to do and learn. This would be a wonderful place to conduct a field trip. We went on a weekday and the place was pretty empty. We spent about 2.5 hours there and probably could have spent a couple more. We definitely recommend people to the Mind Museum.

Marikina is known as the shoe capital of the Philippines, and the Shoe Museum pays homage to that…read more This place showcases shoes from different parts of the country and world, the shoe making process, different shoes from past presidents and celebrities, and one gigantic leather shoe. A novel and niche stop if you want a fun thing to do to quickly pass the time.

P50 admission fee. Strong air conditioning. Shoes donated by celebrities. Cheap souvenirs…read more(handmade and less than P100 for most items). What's not to like? We spent 30-60 mins here looking at both floors.

The Ateneo Art Gallery is often visited by students from different universities in Manila. It is…read morethe first museum of Philippine modern art in the Philippines. It features famous art works from great contemporary artists, who are generous enough to lend their creations. The collections change every month and exhibitions and events are held there every year. My favorite time to visit the Ateneo Art Gallery is when I'm waiting for my friends to finish their classes. It's a great time for me to appreciate the works being displayed there and to finally be free from all the noise in campus. I'm not a huge fan of artworks, but in the Art Gallery I get to think and be alone for a while. When I'm with my friends, we often visit the Art Gallery to see if there's a new collection on display. When we're in the mood to do something shameless, we just pose with some really cool art and have a mini photo shoot (hehe).

My favorite part of studying in Ateneo is the Ateneo Art Gallery. Thankfully, I was given the…read moreopportunity to become an intern there, and the way the staff chooses and handles the art is wonderful to witness. The collections and exhibits that come in are truly beautiful, and even those who are completely clueless about art like I am can go in and marvel at all the beauty of it. The security guard at the table is also the nicest one I've ever met. You leave your bags with him while you view the exhibit, and he makes sure that no one gets your bag while it's left unattended. The gallery is very quiet, since the library and thesis archives are on the floor above, so it makes it the perfect place to walk and contemplate your day, or sit down and talk with a friend. I've had a lot of 3-hour conversations on the floor with my best friends in that gallery, contemplating failing grades or stressing out over life in general. It's also a great place to study, as there's a small reading area behind the guard's desk where you can sit and read the various books on art and art history the gallery office holds, or revel in the quiet and do some homework or studying. The gallery offers tours every so often, and entrance is free for Ateneo students, although I'm not sure if it's free as well to outsiders. Needless to say, the experience is worth it, especially if there's a particularly riveting exhibit on display! One particular exhibit that comes to mind was an ocean-themed one. It was held in a dark room where you could see projections of the ocean, and hear the sound of waves and stormy thunder. In fact, the Ateneo Art Gallery does its job so well that every exhibit is a joy to behold, so come in any time if you're in the mood to marvel at all the wonderful art.

It's a cute and quaint museum. There are 3 floors of exhibits and the main one right now was the…read moreBenCab exhibit which was actually super cool cause it was sponsored by Samsung digital lol. We mainly came to just educate ourselves more and this is where I learned about the most famous name in the Philippines aside from God, Jesus, and Ayala: Rizal. They have buildings, parks, streets, you name it after this guy and the yuchengco museum had an entire floor dedicated to this guy and what he did for the Philippines. It was super cool. They have a good selection of paintings on the first floor including several Vincente Manansala's which are a big deal here (at the Ayala museum they had THREE huge rooms dedicated to Manansala's Art alone).

If you work or live in Manila and didn't know that the RCBC building was a cultural center, I'm…read morehere to tell you! The RCBC building at the end of Ayala Avenue has a fine arts theatre that has a lot of plays and shows and a museum! I've personally gone to the Yuchengco Museum quite a few times and I really like it there. Their permanent collection isn't so extensive but I enjoy how they always have new exhibits and even workshops. At least once a year they have the Habi exhibit and trade fair where entrepreneurs from around the country come together with local textile. I absolutely love this! I always come out of there with yards of textile for myself. There was once even a talk they gave about different tribes and what their patterns mean, it was a great experience! I love learning about our culture (especially when translated to textile) and I'm glad that there are venues like these that provide the opportunity to do so.

We were part of a US/ PI Ambassador Tour group with several dignitaries and business people. One of…read moreour stops were to meet some dignitaries and politicians at Malacanang Palace. We were invited to have lunch at the Palace as one of the politicians gave a keynote address. Unfortunately, the President was not on the groups during our visit. As our tour bus came on grounds, we had to wait for the all clear. Prior to us going inside the gates, we were already warned of no cell phones, so we left our phones on the bus. If we were to bring our cell phones, tape would be placed on the part of where the camera is. So we opted to just leave it altogether. We drove into the gates, and we had to be searched in the lobby before proceeding to the ballroom. Your name had to be checked off the list and then we were escorted to our table. The dress code is business casual, but for our luncheon, all guests were wearing the barong or the filipinana. Since I don't own a filipinana, I dressed in an appropriate conservative dress. We were served a buffet luncheon, and the food was really good! Sorry no photos since we left our phones on the bus. Nonetheless, the food and desserts were very good. We were then treated to a tour of the museum. What was NOT told to us was that photos are allowed in the museum. GRRRRR!!! So basically we didn't have our phones, but the museum was amazing! Luckily, one of our friends decided to bring his phone so we scabbed off him to take a few photos of us. Lots things to see on the grounds of the Palace. If you get invited or even a chance to go, do so!

There isn't anything more grand than the house that shelters the Head of State of the Philippines…read more Malcanang Palace has served as the home of our Presidents since the Commonwealth in 1935. Its halls are filled with history and stories of the Filipino People. By scheduling a tour through the Presidential Museum and Library Office you too can walk these halls and get a glimpse of the life inside the protected walls. I've done this tour several times since I was a kid and I learn something new each time! Up to today it's still being used by the President so be sure to follow the proper guidelines in booking your tour and don't forget the security measures! They don't charge too much (50 pesos for an adult) so missing out on this tour would really be your loss. If you're a Filipino or not, I would put this destination up there on your things to do!

It was such a coincidence that I was at Back to the 90's yesterday and it was apparently--Hashtag:…read moreThrowback Thursday. My friends from Concerned Artists of the Philippines in UP held a back to back gig of two independent bands there last night (Plagpul and KALIS), so I passed by and gave my support. It was my first time in this bar but I already knew about it for quite some time; it's Back to the Future signage along Tomas Morato, corner E. Rodriguez is simply hard to miss. I was curious at first to see what it's like inside Back to the 90's, only to find out that it's actually no different from most bars ideal for gatherings of independent bands and the underground music scene. The only difference with Back to the 90's is practically, its 90's theme. You will definitely see a lot of Throwback posts on their walls because of the framed movie and music posters from the 90's era. Haha! What a virtual way to describe it, but I would rather stick to such description than say nostalgic because I simply did not get the feel. I was born 1991, so I really wasn't able to get a glimpse of how bars then were like. Although, when I asked some of my older friends there, they said that 'yes, this is actually a recreation of a 90's bar.' What I like about it, is it's cozy but rock and roll ambiance that went well with its small, vertical space; comfortable couches are leaned against graffiti walls showcased by dimmed pin lights. They also have a very cute menu placed in an old school CD case where they offer alcoholic beverages and bar dishes like Nacho's, Fries, Buffalo Wings, etc. Although, I wasn't able to have a taste of any because I was a little broke last night (P200.00 per order), and their selections were not really that inviting, the waiter said that their best seller is the Tapsilog. Overall, it was an OK bar for me. I would go here if good bands will be playing but probably not for a usual late night chill or beer nights.