Ayala Museum has consistently been one of Manila’s best museums. Though not big, it holds an impressive collection and its exhibits are continually being updated.
I’ve been to the museum many times before but it was our first time this time to visit with Luke. I wasn’t sure at first if he would be able to appreciate everything but we ended up having a great time. Here’s how the visit with our 3 year old went!
Ayala Museum with Kids
Entrance fee is P220 per person but kids 3 and below are free! However, if you have an Ayala Rewards Card, you get 50% off for up to 5 pax. That’s what we did so we only had to pay for P337 pesos for 3 adults (we brought Luke’s yaya with us) and 1 child! Pretty sweet.
Outdoor Installations
If there’s one thing little boys love it’s having wide open spaces to run around in. Before entering the museum, there’s a space outside with a few outdoor installations you can check out. It was nice to see these before entering.
Diorama Experience
You begin your journey inside with a diorama exhibit chronicling the history of the Philippines.
The dioramas were all beautifully made and there were descriptions provided on each. Since Luke didn’t know how to read yet, he asked me for the story on each and every display. (Tbh, I was actually relieved when he got tired at around diorama number 40+, haha!)
BONUS: You can borrow this contraption that younger kids can stand on so they can see the dioramas perfectly! You can just ask the guard stationed near the beginning of the museum (if he hasn’t approached you first, which was what happened with us!) I thought that was such a nice touch. Good job, Ayala Museum!
How Tall?
Something cute and fun, also located on the same floor as the dioramas: measure yourself up (literally!) against different people from history.
Luke enjoyed going around and seeing how tall he was compared to all these people.
Maritime Vessels
There were also these beautifully crafted maritime vessel displays in the middle of the floor. If you have a transportation geek, this would be a nice display to check out.
VR Experience
Something cool for the older kids: there are virtual reality stations at the dioramas section, where you can sit and watch scenes from our history. When we visited, the theme was “The Emergence of the Filipino Nation,” which featured the stories of Andres Bonifacio’s and Emilio Aguinaldo’s roles in our history.
We had Luke try it but the scenes were a little too intense for him so he stopped. Hehe. We enjoyed it though.
Other Exhibits
If you’re with younger kids, you’ll probably spend a long time at the diorama section. But don’t forget to drop by the other levels where they feature changing exhibits.
During our visit, were blessed to have seen an exhibit with the theme Pioneers of Philippine Art featuring works from Zobel, Luna and Amorsolo!
Luke currently enjoys observing paintings so we surprisingly spent a good time here taking in the details of these masterpieces. I really believe that kids are capable of understanding and appreciating beautiful things like fine art, if only we expose them to more of it.
On the last floor up is a permanent exhibit of indigenous Philippine textiles, ceramics and pre-colonial Philippines treasures.
Ayala Museum Makati
Overall, we had such a pleasant time exploring the museum. Our 3 year old enjoyed it as well and was thoroughly entertained. Of course, he didn’t understand most of the things yet, but I believe it was a good opportunity to introduce to him about The Philippines’ rich history.
As of the writing of this article, Ayala Museum is open from Tuesdays-Sundays, 9am-6pm. Closed on Mondays. You may call (632) 759 8288 for more information.
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