Museums reopen until Feb. 15
SOME museums are opening their doors to the public once again with the lowering of the level of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) restrictions in the National Capital Region (NCR).
The Ateneo Art Gallery, the National Museum of the Philippines, and the Ayala Museum and Filipinas Heritage Library have all announced that they are now accepting visitors until Feb. 15 (as the NCR is under Alert Level 2 until that day), albeit with a number of restrictions.
ATENEO ART GALLEY
The Ateneo Art Gallery is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. until Feb. 15. Admission is free.
The current exhibitions on view are “INK Story: 30 Years of Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan”; “Islands for Sale: Pete Jimenez”; and “Muntadas: Exercises on Past and Present Memories.”
Visitors have to book an appointment online (www.bit.ly/VisitAAG) two to three days in advance. There are three time slots available each day, each of which is limited to a maximum of 15 visitors. The time slots are: 9-11 a.m., 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and 2-4 p.m. The booking cut-off is at 3 p.m. Guests (aged 12 to 65) must be fully vaccinated and must bring a vaccination card and the valid ID used in the booking form on the day of their visit.
Visitors must wear a face mask at all times while inside the gallery. The use of face shields is optional. Visitors are enjoined to observe physical distancing if not belonging to the same household.
THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES
The National Museum Complex in Manila — composed of the National Museum of Fine Arts, National Museum of Anthropology, and the National Museum of Natural History — is now allowing fully vaccinated adults and minors to visit. Unvaccinated minors are welcome but they must be accompanied by a fully vaccinated adult.
While admission is free, visits must be booked ahead of time as walk-in visits are not allowed.
The museum complex is open Tuesday to Saturday. Guests must reserve a timeslot at least a day before their intended visit. There are two timeslots open each day: 9-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m., with the cutoff for entry at 3 p.m. A maximum of 200 guests per timeslot are allowed in the museum complex. To book a timeslot, visit the website www.nationalmuseum.gov.ph and click “Book a tour.” For more information, visit www.facebook.com/nationalmuseumofthephilippines.
AYALA MUSEUM AND FILIPINAS HERITAGE LIBRARY
The Ayala Museum and Filipinas Heritage Library is now open to visitors from Wednesday to Friday (11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), and Saturday to Sunday (11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.).
All visits to the museum and library have to be pre-booked. There are timed slots available, with the museum allowing a maximum of 30 people per timeslot, and the library allowing a maximum of eight people in its premises per timeslot.
Only fully vaccinated individuals will be admitted. Proof of vaccination and identification are required upon entry. RT-PCR tests and medical exemption certificates will not be accepted.
Go to www.ayalamuseum.org/visit to book a visit and learn about the safety protocols at the museum and library. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ayalamuseum.
