Metropolitan Theater

Manila

LoginSave

This stunning piece of art deco opened as the city’s premier opera theatre under the Americans in 1931. Today it’s in a state of utter disrepair, but there could be better times ahead: in 2015 the National Commission for Culture & the Arts took over the building and is in the process of restoring it.

The Metropolitan has a long and storied history. It was damaged in 1945 in the Battle of Manila and was used for various ignominious purposes during the following decades – boxing gym, seedy motel and gay bar, basketball court, garage and warehouse. It was restored and reopened in 1978, but eventually funding for the theatre dried out and it was shuttered up in 1996. There were fears it would be torn down, until the NCCA came to the rescue.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Main gate of Fort Santiago in Manila, Philippines.

    Fort Santiago

    0.7 MILES

    Guarding the entrance to the Pasig River is Intramuros' premier tourist attraction: Fort Santiago. Within the fort grounds is an oasis of lovely manicured…

  • San Agustin Church at Intramuros, Manila, Philippines.

    San Agustin Church

    0.51 MILES

    The San Agustin Church was the only building left intact after the destruction of Intramuros in WWII. Built between 1587 and 1606, it is the oldest church…

  • Artwork on display inside the Pinto Art Museum.

    Pinto Art Museum

    8.76 MILES

    This fantastic museum in Antipolo, in the hills just east of Metro Manila, showcases some of the Philippines' best contemporary artists. There are six…

  • Chinese Cemetery in Manila, Philippines.

    Chinese Cemetery

    2.81 MILES

    As in life, so it is in death for Manila’s wealthy Chinese citizens, who are buried with every modern convenience in the huge Chinese Cemetery. It's far…

  • The Ayala museum at Makati city, Metro Manila, Philippines.

    Ayala Museum

    4 MILES

    This gleaming museum features four floors of superbly curated exhibits on Filipino culture, art and history. At the heart of the collection is a brilliant…

  • The National museum of Anthropology, Manila, Philippines.

    National Museum of Anthropology

    0.61 MILES

    Within a resplendent neoclassical building, this superb museum houses a vast and varied collection, including the skullcap of the Philippines’ earliest…

  • Graves at Manila American Cemetery.

    Manila American Cemetery

    5.89 MILES

    A poignant and peaceful spot, this sprawling war cemetery on a grassy, beautifully manicured plot is the resting place of 17,206 soldiers killed in battle…

  • 500px Photo ID: 133312595 - Established in 1976, the Metropolitan Museum of Manila is the first Philippine art institution to offer a bilingual and pedagogical program. It is partially subsidized by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP or the Central Bank of the Philippines). In 1979 the 'Met' was incorporated into a foundation known as the Metropolitan Museum of Manila Foundation, Inc. officially changing the status of the Museum to an independent, private, nonsectarian, non-political and non-profit cultural foundation...The Museum is responsible for the conservation of some of the country's national treasures. The basement gallery showcases pre-Hispanic gold and pottery artifacts--proof of a flourishing pre-colonial Filipino society actively engaged in international trade and showcasing hallmarks of Filipino art and culture from the 8th to 13th centuries.

    Metropolitan Museum of Manila

    2.13 MILES

    The 'Met' is a world-class gallery tracing the evolution of Filipino art from the early 20th century to the present. Virtually all great Filipino painters…

View more attractions

Nearby Manila attractions

1. Revellin del Parian

0.18 MILES

This triangular defensive fortification was built to help protect Intramuros after a Chinese uprising in 1603. Parian were the ghetto-like districts where…

3. Baluarte de San Gabriel

0.22 MILES

Intramuros defensive embankment in a strategic location on the Pasig River, built in 1593.

4. Calvo Museum

0.27 MILES

In the historic, beaux-arts Calvo Building (1938), this little museum houses a treasure trove of pre-WWII photographs and memorabilia. Of particular…

5. Puerta de Isabel II

0.28 MILES

This north entrance to Intramuros was the last gate built by the Spanish, in 1863.

6. Baluarte de Dilao

0.28 MILES

Stone defensive bulwark that was part of the original fortification of Intramuros. It dates back to 1592 and is named after the Japanese enclave it faced…

7. Golden Mosque

0.31 MILES

The Golden Mosque was constructed in 1976 as something of a welcoming gift for the late Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi, although his scheduled visit…

8. First United Building

0.32 MILES

Not only is this one of Manila's finest pieces of surviving pre-WWII art deco, but it's also the centrepiece of the Escolta St revival. Inside are…