Metropolitan Museum of Manila (MET) opened its doors to the public for the first time

On October 3, 1976, forty years ago, the Metropolitan Museum of Manila (MET) opened its doors to the public for the first time. The inaugural show featured an impressive exhibition of paintings and sculptures from Europe and the US. Since then, the MET has mounted more than 400 exhibitions, showcasing the art of the Philippines and other cultures around the world, in various forms and contexts.


 After mounting its first major exhibition on the moving image last September, the MET continues its 40th anniversary celebration with exhibitions and activities that further the museum’s cohesive direction and strengthened position as the home of contemporary art.

On November 10, the MET formally opened three exhibits, collectively known as FORTY, which capture the museum’s 40-year journey, societal contributions and its subsequent ventures.

The MET Collection and New Acquisitions: The highlight of FORTY, this exhibit consists of more than 100 works by Filipino artists from the modern and contemporary period. Spread out across the MET’s Tall Galleries and Open Gallery, the collection goes beyond the meaning of individual works and examines how their collective significance emerges as the museum's reflections of the evolving art of today.

The MET and BSP Print Collections: Drawn from the complementary print collections of the MET and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, this exhibit at the BSP Gallery, collocates the works of Filipino and foreign artists in exploring the form and content of modern printmaking locally and in Western art. This exhibition also celebrates the forty years of steadfast partnership between the MET and the BSP.
The MET Archives: Gathered in the MET’s White Cube Gallery are exhibition posters and catalogues, vernissage photos, and other documents, that look into the museum’s evolving spaces, programs and thrusts.

In conjunction with its strategic direction of being a home for contemporary art, the MET has displayed Ronald Ventura’s iconic two-piece carousel ride at the museum lobby, which serves as a preview to the museum’s exciting exhibition calendar in 2017, which will commence with the mid-career retrospective of the artist in January.

Keeping in mind its philosophy “Art for All”, the MET has organized educational programs throughout the duration of these exhibitions, such as a symposia on curatorial issues in contemporary art, specialized workshops for teachers and government workers, and tours for the visually-impaired.

The Metropolitan Museum of Manila is located at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Complex, Roxas Blvd., Manila. It is open from Monday until Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For inquiries, call (02) 708-7828 or email info@metmuseum.ph.