Previously known and used as the infrastructure for the Department of Agriculture, the Museum of Natural History came about after restoring the damaged structure from the Second World War (The Manila Project, 2018). The area used for the museum is now seen as the “country’s museum center”; with its polygonal shape, it meets the conditions that were settled by Daniel Burnham’s 1905 Plan for Manila (Ramos, 2017). The renovated museum draws its inspiration from neoclassical architecture, creating a “semi-indoor” design wherein the museum goers will be able to appreciate both the interior and the exterior of the building, as the line between those is “blurred” showing a continuous flow.  The interior, specifically, makes a big difference as it gives the museum goers a more modern and spacious area wherein they can relax and be able to appreciate the museum. The semi-indoor design was created by the glass dome feature that covers the central area of the building.  According to the article from BluPrint by Ramos (2017), the natural light that goes through the glass dome does not only illuminate the area, but also symbolizes that the museum serves as the “permanent home of Philippine knowledge” as it houses the natural history and found within the Philippines. 

The glass dome is only a part of the DNA Tree of Life, which is  the context of a museum of this nature draws reference as it demonstrate that all species on Earth are related and evolved from a common ancestor. The “central element” found in the museum (Ramos, 2017). The structure serves not only as a foundation for the museum but also as a beautiful work of art. It was designed to be at the center of the building for the museum goers to be able to have a view of the entirety of the museum (Soliman, 2018). A glass elevator can be found at the trunk of the Tree, calling it the ‘ceremonial processional way to do so,’ mentioned by Galicia in Soliman’s (2018) article, considering it to be the proper way of viewing the museum in its entirety instead of going the roundabout way. It was also mentioned in the article that there are other means to be able to travel around the museum, but the glass elevator is considered the main access for one to be able to go through the different floors. From the fifth floor, museum goers will have an overview of the entire museum; on the other hand, the base of the Tree gives them more space and freedom to roam around the rest of the museum.

The Museum of Natural History holds our culture, history, and identity as Filipinos and as human beings. Our identity is reflected through the structure itself, comprising of all the different aspects that makes us who we are. Through the artefacts found inside, we were able to see that we are able to adapt, progress, and grow into who we are today. Moreover, the DNA Tree of Life reminds and shows us that there is a commonality among all living things (Ramos, 2017), When one considers that DNA carries the genetic information that is vital in the development and functioning of all known living organisms, the fusion of the tree form and the double helix cannot be more apt. through the double-helix design that was incorporated into the trunk. It symbolizes the oneness of a person and nature and how both sides are mutually beneficial for survival. We interpreted both the double-helix and the trunk as foundations of life. Both are important in the growth of living organisms, without such foundations (the double-helix of the DNA containing our genetic characteristics, and the trunk serving as the connection between the roots and leaves) it would be impossible for us to grow and progress. The leaves of the tree, as well as the branches, that are spread out, function as a dome that covers and protects the building, but it can also symbolize that everything is connected. For that structure, it connects the parts of the building, which includes the different floors that contain different artefacts about our history (Soliman, 2018).

Ramos, N. (2017), The National Museum of Natural History – How it began, Available at: https://bluprint.onemega.com/begin-national-museum-of-natural-history/ (Accessed: 11 February 2019). 

Soliman, M. (2018), National Museum of Natural History: A focus on biodiversity, Available at: https://www.bworldonline.com/national-museum-of-natural-history-a-focus-on-biodiversity/?fbclid=IwAR28HAbU6DCpjcIVpJpcOwNfyBo53T7kZjHBRisDCk0PjdRqaToN-_jnrw4 (Accessed: 11 February 2019). 

The Manila Project. (2018), The Three Pillars of the National Museum of the Philippines, Available at: https://themanilaproject.com/three-pillars-national-museum-philippines/ (Accessed: 11 February 2019).