Looking for a new museum to visit for National Arts Month this February? Step back in time and explore the Manila Clock Tower Museum, housed in the city’s most iconic landmark—the Manila City Hall.
Designed by architect Antonio Toledo and completed during the 1930s, the Manila Clock Tower stands almost 100 feet (30 meters) in elevation, making it the largest clock tower in the Philippines. Manila City Hall and the Clock Tower were damaged heavily during World War II and the 1945 Battle of Manila and rebuilt over the decades.
I’ve been interested in visiting this museum mainly because of its creepy history. For years, the clock tower served mainly as a storage room with a reputation of being haunted. Former employees used to say that people shouldn’t stay inside beyond 6:00 p.m. because spirits inside the building make their presence felt at night. When viewed from above, Manila City Hall’s trapezoid like shape resembles a coffin with a cross on it.
The building has gone through various renovations over the years. In mid-2020, portions of the clock tower which used to be red, and the faces of the three clocks, were painted gold as part of its restoration. The interiors were cleared out, repainted, and refurbished to fit in art galleries, resulting in Manila’s newest modern museum.
The pandemic delayed the formal opening, but finally, in October 2022, the Clock Tower Museum was officially launched as a major tourist attraction and historic landmark and opened to the public. This unique museum adaptively reuses the structure of the clock tower, with five levels showcasing the history of Manila and modern art galleries, with changing art exhibits.
The main exhibit on the first floor features an immersive exhibit with a brief history about the Battle of Manila during World War II. The museum makes use of video presentations and a 3D-wall installation of key moments during the war designed by Ohm David and Elba Cruz. There’s also a Wall of heroes going up the stairs and photos and paintings of the old tower before it was restored.
It’s not just a history museum, but there are galleries devoted to contemporary art and culture. The latest exhibits include Banaag and Modern Manileña, a “fashion and art exhibit inspired by, and made for, the global, empowered, modern Manileña.”
Visitors can see the inside workings of the four sides of the clock and get a 360-degree view of Intramuros and nearby Manila at the top two floors. According to the museum attendants, a cafe is in the works on the third floor of the museum. so this is something coffee lovers can look forward to when they visit in the future.
How to visit the Manila Clock Tower Museum
Since the museum is located inside a government building, the Manila Clock Tower Museum is only open on weekdays from Tuesdays to Fridays from 10 am to 3 pm. The museum is CLOSED on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.
As of February 2023, museum visits are free to the public, but they require online bookings. No walk-ins are allowed yet. To schedule a tour, bookings must be made online through their Facebook page.
Guided tours are only available from Tuesday to Friday, every 30 mins except for lunch hour. You can book reservations for the following times: 10:00, 10:30 11:00, 11:30, 1:00, 1:30, 2:00, and 2:30 pm.
- For online bookings, send a message to the Manila Clock Tower Museum Facebook page.
- An automated message will ask for your name, preferred date and time of the visit, contact details, and the number of people included in your group.
- Wait for the admin’s confirmation and approval of your booking.
- You will then receive a message from the page administrator confirming your appointment.
- Go to the museum on the date and time based on your confirmation message.
Museum rules
- Do not touch or move any of the equipment, displays or art works. Most of the modern art exhibits, paintings, and furniture are for SALE.
- Please speak in low tones as a courtesy to other visitors and maintain the ambiance inside the Museum.
- Taking of videos on the first floor and flash photography on the first, mezzanine, and the 2nd floor are STRICTLY PROHIBITED. You can take photos without flash.
- Each batch of 15 visitors will be allowed every 30 minutes ONLY.
- No food or drink is allowed inside the museum.
The Manila Clock Tower Museum is at 4/F Manila City Hall, Padre Burgos Avenue, Ermita, Manila.
