Manila’s Timeless Landmarks: The National Museum, Anthropology Museum, and Intramuros

Hey! So, I finally sorted another set of photos I’ve been meaning to share with you. This time, it’s the continuation of my Luzon trip from last May. If you remember, or if you’re new here, I went to Manila for five days. On the first day, I attended a concert by the Japanese band Radwimps. After the concert, on day two, we took a bus to Baguio and spent the next 24 hours there. It was a very liberating experience for me, as it was my first time traveling alone in unfamiliar cities. By day three, I was back in Manila to explore the city.

I planned to spend at least a day there to reacquaint myself, since it had been a long time since I last visited. I was only spending a day, as in the evening, I had to catch another bus, this time going to a different region, which will be the last part of my Luzon trip. Don’t worry, I’ll be sharing more about it once I finish sorting those photos.

Anyway, I wasted most of my morning traveling back to Manila because I didn’t anticipate the traffic. I thought that since I was leaving before dawn, there wouldn’t be any traffic, like when we were on the way to Baguio, but I was wrong. It took us more or less 6 hours to get to Cubao, so I arrived around lunchtime. That was also when I realized that the Pasay bus terminal was closer to the places I had planned to visit. So yeah, as much as I didn’t want to stress myself out, knowing I hadn’t planned this trip properly, the consequence was spending more than I should have. Since I was losing too much time, I decided to take a Grab from Cubao to the Mall of Asia (MOA) to leave my luggage there for free. So, imagine how much my transportation cost me going from one place to another. Nonetheless my goal while there is to visit the National Museums and Intramuros.

National Museum of the Philippines

I visited the National Museum of the Philippines first. It was originally the only museum I planned to visit, aside from Intramuros, because I thought it was the only one in the area. But later during this trip, I found out there were more—keep reading to find out how I discovered this, because it was quite chaotic! The entrance was free when I visited; you just had to present an ID at the entrance. I spent most of the afternoon there, and I was super kilig when I finally got to see the famous artwork by Juan Luna—the Spoliarium. Imagine, I had only seen it in books, on TV, and online, but now it was right in front of me. It was truly a surreal experience. I also took my time exploring and admiring the different artworks by other local artists on display. As much as I want to share all the photos I took here on the blog, I don’t think I’d have enough storage for them. Aside from the artworks, I was in awe of the building itself—from its layout and design to its history. You should definitely add this to your bucket list when you're in Manila. Anyway, since I was alone on this trip and a little shy to ask others to take my photos, I tried to imitate the Gen Z poses and techniques. Hahahaha.

Intramuros

It was around 2 in the afternoon when I got out of the National Museum and decided to drop the idea of going to Intramuros, as I didn’t have the energy to walk around the area anymore. Plus, the scorching sun was literally and figuratively burning through my skin. However, a funny yet stupid thing happened. When I was about to book a ride back to MOA, an e-trike driver approached me and asked if I was interested in a tour around Intramuros. He offered a lower price for a 2-hour tour, which tempted me to say yes. But honestly, I’m not really sure if I got scammed or not because the whole experience was just chaotic.

I’m not even sure if I could trust him, but I still went with it. While making small talk with him, I found out that he was a resident of Intramuros, which surprised me because I didn’t know it was also a residential area. I had always thought that the entire Intramuros area was just an enclosed historical site turned into a museum.

Anyway, our first stop was San Agustin Church. It was another surreal feeling to finally see it in person. I wanted to take my time and immerse myself in the rich history of the church and the entire walled city. However, this is where things started to go downhill. I didn’t get to go inside and see the interior, as Kuya was already rushing me to the next destination. He dragged me from one spot to another, just long enough to take photos. I guess he realized he wouldn’t make as much money with the offer he gave me. I was so close to confronting him, but I tried my best to stay calm, even though I was feeling pressured and stressed the entire time. We were able to visit most of the tourist spots, but I was a little sad I didn’t get to dive deeper into the history.

Anyway, aside from my experience with Kuya (no hate to him), everything was still wonderful. I truly appreciate our history more now. I guess I have another reason to return to Intramuros—this time with a solid game plan.

Anthropological Museum

It was around 4 in the afternoon when I finished my Intramuros tour, and I was ready to leave because I just couldn’t handle it anymore with Kuya. He offered to take me back to the National Museum, but I kindly told him that I was fine and that he could leave me where we were. He then insisted on taking me out of Intramuros and to wherever I wanted to go next. Eventually, he mentioned visiting other museums. Maybe he felt bad about the rushed tour, so he offered to take me to any museum I was going to next. That’s when I found out there were many other museums aside from the National Museum. He mentioned a few, and I decided to go to the Anthropology Museum.

I was able to spend another hour at the Anthropology Museum, which was a nice breather since no one was rushing me. I’m so glad this was my last stop, as it allowed me to take my time exploring and admiring the displays. It was also very educational, showcasing a wide range of exhibits, from traditional indigenous art and artifacts to displays about the country’s diverse ethnic groups.

The whole afternoon wasn’t nearly enough time to explore these museums thoroughly. Although the day had its chaotic moments, I’m grateful for the opportunity to experience Manila’s rich history and culture. I left with a deeper appreciation for the art, architecture, and diverse heritage of the Philippines. Next time, I’ll be sure to plan ahead and give myself more time to truly immerse in each site, but for now, I’m content with the memories and knowledge I gained from this spontaneous adventure.

After a long, tiring day, I dashed back to MOA to grab my luggage and catch my next trip—to the Land of a Thousand Colors, Quezon Province. I hope you’ll join me for the last part of my five-day journey through Luzon. I promise to sort out the photos before the month ends. Hahaha!