National Museum of Natural History

The old agriculture ministry was converted and reopened in 2018, and the conversion is the first thing you see: the courtyard was roofed with a branching steel structure that fans out over a glass dome, universally called the Tree of Life, with a lift running up its trunk. Around it, galleries climb through Philippine geology, forests, reefs and island biogeography, which matters in a country of thousands of islands where species are constantly splitting off. The best-known exhibit is the mounted skeleton of Lolong, an exceptionally large saltwater crocodile caught in Mindanao in 2011. Entry is free and the place is popular with school groups.

What you actually see

• The Tree of Life - the branching steel canopy over the atrium, with a lift up its centre.
• Lolong's skeleton - the mounted remains of an exceptionally large saltwater crocodile.
• The island biogeography rooms - how species diverge across an archipelago of thousands of islands.
• The reef and mangrove galleries - marine dioramas and specimens from one of the richest seas on earth.

When to go

Tuesday to Sunday, closed Mondays. Get there at opening: by mid-morning on weekdays the school groups arrive in waves and the atrium and lift queue clog. Weekends are family-heavy. Two hours covers it comfortably, or half a day if you pair it with the fine arts museum next door.

Honest expectations

It is popular, free and full of children, so it is noisy. Some galleries are more display case than interpretation, and a few upper floors remain unfinished or closed. The lift up the Tree of Life has a long queue for a short ride. Security screening at the entrance can back up. Come for the building and a couple of star exhibits rather than a comprehensive collection.

Nearby

The National Museum of Fine Arts is next door; Rizal Park and Intramuros are both walkable.