52 Weekends of Family Fun: Part 4

April 6: Marikina City Doll Museum
Marvel in the ingenuity and skill of Philippine craftsmanship at the Marikina Doll Museum where you can see facets of local color and life in miniature!

Why go there: The Doll Museum has 500 papier-mâché dolls in 46 dioramas on display showcasing Philippine history, created by famous fashion designers Patis Tesoro and Guia Gomez.

Family-friendly factor: The dolls and scenes are meticulous in their construction. The dolls are engaged in various activities such as fiestas, childhood games and bayanihan.

May cost you: P25 to enter.

Fun factoid: Marikina has other museums nearby, such as the Shoe Museum, which has the largest pair of shoes in existence. You can also check out the Belen Museum for an assortment of nativity scenes or the Miniatures Museum for the highly detailed aforementioned miniatures.

Contact details:
The Doll Museum
Address: Marikina Sports Complex, McDonald’s corner Sumulong Highway,
Barangay Sto. Nino, Marikina City
Landline / Mobile: (632) 4309735, (632) 646-5277
Website: www.marikina.gov.ph

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April 13: Clay Ave

Want to try something different for you and your family?  How would you all like to learn pottery for a day or two?  If you’re all open to the idea, then Clay Ave is the place to go!

Why go there: If you and your family are curious to try out pottery, you can sign up for a trial class. More advanced classes exist for the more proficient. Either way, it will make for a fun and productive time.

Family-friendly factor: Whether you’re a child, teen or adult, Clay Ave can guide you in the basics of pottery with their various workshops.  Mia Casal, the founder of Clay Ave, brings all the things you need for the workshop – all you need are tables and chairs.

May cost you: contact Clay Ave for details.

Fun factoid: Mia Casal has been an avid potter for the last decade and has had exhibits in Manila and New York City.

Contact details:
Clay Ave Pottery Studio
Address: Venue dependent on schedule
Landline / Mobile: (+632) 9665168
Website: clayave.weebly.com

Image from clayave.weebly.com

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April 20: Pinto Art Gallery

Antipolo has a lot of hidden treasures. One of them is this charming little art gallery that boasts some unsurprisingly talented artists in the areas of painting, sculpture, photography and mixed media.

Why go there: The museum looks like an adorable little Mexican pueblo and the gardens are affectionately manicured. The exhibits inside are evocative, thought-provoking and can hold their own with any gallery in the world.

Family-friendly factor: This is the only museum we know that has a pool area – the Pinto Art Gallery also rents out a cottage for families if you wish to stay over longer than a day.

May cost you: P50-P100 to see the exhibits. Contact the gallery for more details regarding an overnight stay or an event.

Fun factoid: The Pinto Art Gallery is also a popular engagement and wedding reception venue. Couples go to get their photos taken amidst all the scenery.

Contact details:
Pinto Art Gallery
Address: 1, Sierra Madre St., Grand Heights, Antipolo City, Rizal
Landline / Mobile: (+632) 6971015, (+632) 7229205 (through Boston Gallery)
Website: http://www.freewebs.com/pintoartgallery/ourinformation.htm

Image from freewebs.com/pintoartgallery

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April 27: Ayala Museum

Culture and history go hand in hand with style and grace in the Ayala Museum. Now on its 45th year, it looks even better than when it first opened in 1967.

Why go there: The traveling exhibits are always a pleasure to behold but children most enjoy the Ayala Museum’s mainstay – the Diorama Experience. They can witness the origins of Philippine history through the ages from one painstakingly detailed miniature tableau to the next. The Maritime Vessels exhibit also has models of various boats and ships.

Family-friendly factor: The M Café at the ground floor serves excellent dishes and each floor is easily accessible. The toilets are clean and there is more than adequate security.

May cost you: anywhere between P150-P425 per head depending on age, number of exhibits visited, etc.

Fun factoid: Originally conceived as a museum of history, the Ayala Museum in recent years reinvented itself to also highlight the visual arts.  You can now expect to find paintings and sculptures of local masters aside from cultural artifacts here.

Contact details:
Ayala Museum
Address: Makati Avenue cor. De La Rosa St., Makati City
Landline / Mobile: (632) 7577117 to 21
Website: visit www.ayalamuseum.org or find them on Facebook.

Image by thorn_inmypride from flickr.com

See the rest of the 52 Weekends list: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3