The
National Museum of Natural History in Manila recently opened with a bang! They open their doors, cases, and glass cabinets to everyone, offering extremely rare items that can only be found here for FREE. The National Museum staff and researchers exerted their effort to preserve and keep these items for the next generation. It is my and your wealth! So, what are you waiting for? Tara na!
Entrance of the National Museum of Natural History.
The first gallery we visited focuses on the world-class beauty that the Philippines has; this includes the
Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary in Davao,
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, and
Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, both in Palawan - these spots are part of the UNESCO World Heritage sites - definitely a pride of the Philippines!
The exhibit includes paintings, taxidermied remains of a deer, Spot-billed Pelican, Philippine Eagle, and other birds; underwater creatures, such as different types of fish, crabs, green turtles, starfish, corals, fossilized bones, dried leaves, and many others. All of these are placed inside the enclosures to protect them from the weather and makulit na kamay.
Among those displayed items, the prominent and the center of attraction is the taxidermied remains of "Lolong".
"Lolong" is a male Indo-Pacific or Saltwater Crocodile that was captured in the wetlands of Agusan Marsh by Ernesto "
Lolong" Canete, a veteran crocodile hunter, on September 3, 2011. This giant crocodile measures 20 feet and 3 inches in length and 1,075 kg in weight - recorded by the Guinness Book of World Records as the World's largest crocodile in captivity.
Another interesting and must-see subject is the tooth and bones of a
Rhinoceros Philippinensis (photo above). These were scientifically dated to 709,000 years ago, establishing the animal's age and the early humans that hunted and consumed it. - Details by the
National Museum of Natural History.
A total of 13 bones from the approximately 75% complete skeleton that was excavated in Situ in Rizal, Kalinga province, displayed cut marks and percussion marks. These were analyzed and presented in the article
"Earliest known hominin activity in the Philippines by 709,000 years ago" by Thomas Ingicco et all., published online in the international journal Nature on May 2, 2018 (www.nature.com/nature) - details by the National Museum of Natural History.
What's new inside the
National Museum of Natural History is the Tree of Life-inspired column in the middle, which is totally different from the other buildings of the National Museum. The interior of the building has artistic details; the curves, the lines, and its colors are perfectly made. Look at the lines of the glass window and the rails, the curves of the beams and the walls - they are an Instagram-perfect spot. It took us over two hours to completely visit all the galleries on the first, second, and third floors. Then, rested in the wide space in the middle of the building. While sitting, I noticed that the area became more dramatic and artistic when the lights were turned on.
The National Museum of Natural History is still under renovation. I even saw the gigantic Sperm Whale skeleton; however, it is still a work in progress. I can't hide my excitement about having the whole building open, with more rare items on exhibit. Our museum hunting ends here; after seeing rare collections, we walked on the streets by Rizal Park. Many other stunning and rare items are inside the National Museum of the Filipino People and the National Museum of Fine Arts.
Location/Address: Rizal Park
Established: 2017
Museum Hours: Open from 9 AM to 6 PM, Tuesday to Sunday
Entrance Fee: Free
Contact Number: (02) 8298 1100
My Travel Guide - Click Link Below:
