The National Museum of Natural History, which debuted to the general public in May 2018, is one of the country's most well-known museums. It is a component of the National Museum Complex, which also houses the National Museum of Fine Arts, National Planetarium, and the National Museum of Anthropology. It is situated in Rizal Park.
The 'Tree of Life' is the main attraction of the atrium and there are six floors full of exhibits related to natural history. The exhibits are grouped by ecology, with mountains and forests on the top levels and wetlands and the undersea world on the bottom floors.
How to explore the National Museum of Natural History?
- First Floor: This floor has a commanding architectural structure composed of 2 parts — the dome and the DNA-like structure. The dome acts as the atrium's ceiling, while the DNA-like structure links the dome to the atrium's ground, resembling a tree trunk. The elevator is an attraction, offering a great view of the museum's foyer/atrium.
- Second Floor: The skeleton of the Philippine's largest crocodile (in captivity) ever recorded hangs from the ceiling of the reception hall is based on the second floor. This floor also houses temporary exhibitions in Gallery XII.
- Third Floor: Like the rainforest diorama, you can also walk through a few-meter square mangrove diorama located on the third floor. See also the specimens of different creatures that live in them. This is in Gallery IX, which has zones like Mangroves, Beaches, and Intertidal. This floor also houses Gallery X, which has a zone of The Marine Realm, gives you an impression of how 'The Abyss' looks like, lets you experience a snippet of boarding a submarine, and allows you to marvel at the life-size replicas of a whale shark and manta ray.
- Fourth Floor: Walk through the mini replica of the rainforest and learn about the different kinds of species inhabiting the land in Gallery VI (Lowland Evergreen Rainforests). Other galleries on this floor include Gallery V exhibiting Mossy, Montane, and Pine Forests, Gallery VII exhibiting Ultramafic and Limestone Karst Forests, and Gallery VIII exhibiting Freshwater Wetlands.
- Fifth Floor: This floor is the recent construction that houses galleries with exhibits from Philippine Biodiversity, The Geology of the Philippines, Minerals and Energy Resources, And Life Through Time.
- Sixth Floor: This floor has a stunning Roof Garden to help you relax and take in all that you have learned from the floors below. Function Halls and National Museum Conference Center are other important sections on this floor.
Teodoro F. Valencia Circle, Manila, Luzon 1000 Philippines