Ayala Museum to offer free admission on International Museum Day, May 19

Ayala Museum will temporarily close for its one-year renovation by the end of the month, but that doesn’t mean they can’t go out in style.

The Makati City museum announced on its Facebook page yesterday that it will celebrate International Museum Day by offering free admission from 1pm to 7pm on May 19, Sunday.

International Museum Day was created in 1977 by the International Council of Museums. The celebration aims to raise awareness about the key role that museums play in the development of a society.

This year’s theme is Museums as Cultural Hubs: The Future of Tradition, which highlights the role of museums in their respective communities.

According to the post, all Ayala Museum galleries will be open and free to visit. There will also be activities museum-goers can take part in throughout the day.

Ayala Museum houses ethnographic and archaeological exhibits on Filipino culture, art, and history. The 15-year-old establishment also has a heritage library and a contemporary art gallery called ArtistSpace. Aside from that, it regularly showcases the works of contemporary Filipino artists and has cultural events such as concerts and art workshops.

One of the exhibits currently on display is Abdulmari Asia’s Imao typeface, letterforms inspired by masterpieces of Philippine national artist Abdulmari Imao.

Fun fact: The Imao typeface is available for download on obratypeface.com.

Ayala Museum said that it will hold a storytelling session for kids from 3pm to 5pm and an art fair from 1pm to 7pm on International Museum Day.

Visitors can grab snacks from Malagos Chocolate, The Dream Coffee, Make Peace Bakery, and Kayumanggi Organic. Abiva Publishing House; Center for Art, New Ventures & Sustainable Development; and the Ayala Museum shop will also sell merchandise during the afternoon event.

Registration starts at 12pm.

This is a perfect send-off for art geeks who want to visit the museum one last time before it closes at the end of May. The museum will re-open next year but no specific month has been announced yet.