National Museum of the Philippines was founded in 1901 as a natural history Museum and Ethnography of the peoples of the Philippines. It is located in Manila near rizal Park and the historic Intramuros. Its main building was built in 1918 by American architect Daniel Burnham. Once it housed the Congress of the Philippines, and since 2003 it is a division of the Museum – national Art Gallery and exhibition of natural history. Located in near the building, which previously housed the office of the Department of Finance, today is another division of the Museum of the Peoples of the Philippines, preserving the anthropological and archaeological collections. Today is also the transformation of the former building of the Tourism Department at the Natural History Museum.

In the 1970s, the then Director of the Museum Godofredo Alcasid got the idea for the construction of the Planetarium, supported by MAXIMO Sacro, Jr., one of the founders of the Philippine Astronomical Society and the employee of the national Weather service. The project was presented to First Lady Imelda Marcos, who demanded that the Department of Public Works find funds for the construction of the Planetarium. Construction began in 1974 and lasted nine months. In 1975, the Planetarium, located in rizal Park between the Chinese Garden and a Reading Center was officially opened. Today it hosts lectures and exhibitions, dedicated to astronomy and its development in the Philippines. It's special feature is a realistic show, on various astronomical bodies. In 1998, the Planetarium was included in the National Museum.

The National Gallery is home to several exhibitions dedicated to the art of the Philippines. In the Main Hall houses the works of artists of the 19th century by Juan Luna and Felix Hidalgo. Hall Arellano devoted to the artist and architect Juan Arellano, one of the builders of the building. In the exposition of "the Ships of Faith" presents various examples of Filipino spirituality which introduce the system of beliefs of the local people, their rituals and traditions. Finally, the exhibition "longing for freedom" depicting the struggle of Filipinos against colonialism and various forms of oppression, it is possible to learn the fate of national heroes, about sacrifice and cruelty, atrocities and the spirit of freedom and independence.

Today in the National Museum of the Philippines houses a vast collection of artifacts related to anthropology, archaeology, Geology, Zoology, botany, art and culture of the Philippine Islands and their peoples inhabiting. Across the country there are 19 branches of the Museum.