National Museum of the Philippines - Davao — Attraction in Davao City

June 2025 │ National Museum of the Philippines – Davao is the 17th regional component museum that opened its doors last December 2024. It is the fourth component museum in Mindanao and is located at the compound of People’s Park at the junction of Palma Gil and Pelayo Streets. Entrance is free and is open daily, Sunday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm.

Since Davao City is famous for its durian, the fruit became the inspiration for the exterior design of the building. The building has six (6) floors and is divided into the following unit: Ground Floor – Reception/ Lobby 2nd Foor – Landforms and Lifeforms Exhibition 3rd Floor – Bahandi: Rituals in Life Cycles Exhibition 4th Floor – Kabilin: Enduring Textiles Traditions of Mindanao/ Ang Kuikok: Dabawenyo Expressionist Exhibition 5th Floor – Museo Dabawenyo Exhibition 6th Floor is the Admin Office

Multiple art pieces are displayed and are loaned from several institutions, the artists and their families, and art collectors. There are also items that were specifically made for this museum that are uniquely Dabaw and Mindanao.

What to bring: 1 Identification Card (ID) Not allowed inside the museum: Touching the display Flash Photography Video recording Vlogging Live streaming Tiktok dance Running Food and beverage Wrapped items Pets

A dedicated baggage area is available at the reception for the following items: caps or hats liquid containers like tumblers and bottled waters luggage or large bags toys tripods and selfie sticks headphones and headsets

Appreciation: (1) the overall curation of each art pieces, specimen, clothes, musical instruments and other specific items on display and how the curation tells a defined story, (2) the differentiation of each exhibition by the changing colors of the walls from one area to another, (3) the availability of comfort rooms in each level, (4) the ramp at the middle of the building that envelopes the crafted masterpiece of traditional musical instruments, (5) the elevator which I am not sure if it is still functioning since no one was using it while I was there, and (6) the hardworking staff of the museum who are ready to assist any visitor, especially those who need help taking better photos.

Chief complaint from my experience: Filipinos have real difficulty following instructions so while I was there, two groups of teenagers physically touched the mixed media artwork of Kublai Millan. One group was caught red-handed and was reprimanded by the guard on duty.

Recommendations: (1) additional manpower to man each area though that would be costly, (2) additional “Do Not Touch” warning beside each display especially those that are physically exposed, (3) placement of stanchion or markers that say do not go beyond this line to protect the exposed art pieces, and (4) mechanism for visitors that are not following the guidelines.

Wish list: additional art...

The six-story durian fruit-inspired building of the National Museum of the Philippines Davao at the People’s Park opened today, December 1, 2024.

A legacy project of then Mayor, now Vice-President Sara Zimmerman Duterte. The City Government of Davao and the National Museum have signed a Memorandum of Agreement and Deed of Usufruct in 2019.

As you enter the building you are welcomed by a masterpiece of 𝐾𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑎𝑖 𝑀𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑛 entitled 𝐀𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐚 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐡𝐢𝐮𝐬𝐚 (𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑮𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒚) which measures 70 𝑓𝑡 and is made out of 𝑀𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑏𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐵𝑙𝑎𝑎𝑛 𝑁𝑖𝑡𝑜, 𝐴𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑎, 𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑎𝑛, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐵𝑎𝑚𝑏𝑜𝑜 𝑊𝑒𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 completed in 2024. There is also a gift shop and a coloring corner for the kids.

The 2nd floor galleries displays the diverse natural heritage of Davao. It highlights the correlation between the region's geology and wildlife by demonstrating the role of the bedrock in sustaining the unique ecosystems of the Davao Region. It also showcases the diverse flora and fauna such as the Philippine Eagle and the various habitats of the region, and encourages the need to protect and conserve the natural heritage of the area.

The 3rd floor presents the material culture and artifacts surrounding the various rituals and practices related to planting, harvesting, festivals, trade, and burial of the different ethnolinguistic groups of the Davao Region. The exhibition also showcases the Maitum and Kulaman burial jars, as well as maritime tradeware ceramics recovered from major shipwreck sites around the area.

The 4th floor presents the Hibla ng Lahing Filipino exhibition and displays the works of National Artist Ang Kiukok (one of my favorite artists and is considered by some including me as the Picasso of the Philippines) from the National Fine Arts Collection, as well as from his descendants who graciously lent the majority of the pieces on display. Finally the museum also showcased more works by Kublai Millan composed of sculptures and mixed media paintings that he generously gifted to the Filipino people.

I can definitely say that it is now the best museum in Mindanao. So bring your friends, family, and loved ones for an unforgettable journey through Mindanao's vibrant history and culture.

Entrance to the National Museum of the Philippines - Davao is free and it is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please make sure to arrive at least 30 minutes before closing time. The museum is CLOSED on Mondays for...

Visited last week of June 2025. It was a weekday. One thing I would have to suggest is to provide signs on where to enter to reach the museum. It is situated in People's Park but not much information is posted on which pathway should be taken to go there.

The museum offers a great experience in knowing the rich history and biodiversity of Mindanao, especially Davao. It is well curated and many interesting information to read in the description of the preserved animals, artifacts, and clothings. If you are the type of person who enjoy this kind of educational tour, it is worthwhile to visit the musuem.

The place is also air-conditioned so it is fun to go upstairs and see the culture and history. What I've mostly seen and read on books, it is found in the museum. It is an enriching experience. I would definitely recommend to friends and people who'd ask where to explore when they go to Davao.

Another bonus feature is that they provide qr codes of an English version of the texts beside...