Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore

Rating:	★★★
Category:	Other

I have been to the Louvre, the MoMA and other museums here in the Philippines and other countries I've visited. The Asian Civilisations Museum had a good collection, which covered the essentials of Asian culture and history. The displays and exhibits were tastefully done and were quite informative.

My companion, Nad, and I found it very disturbing, though, that there was ONLY ONE display of an artifact from the Philippines. It was a beaded necklace from the Kalinga Province, and it did not even say that the item was from the Philippines!

What irked Nad the most was the special exhibition on "Beauty in Asia" which had a section on beauty pageants. Nad is a pageant enthusiast, who has nurtured 6 Binibining Pilipinas winners. Not one reference was made to the Philippines, who has produced the most number of Miss Universe and Miss World winners in Southeast Asia!

I love museums and the opportunity they grant me to immerse myself in art, history & culture even if only for a few hours. I was hoping for that feeling of being a "culturati" when we left the Asian Civilisations Museum, but it was absent. I was very disturbed that Philippine art, history and culture was deemed by the curators of this museum as 'inadequate' enough to be included in the collection.

Of course, we UP grads did not take this sitting down. Nad wrote down our thoughts and filled up the recommendation form. We got a free magnet each from the desk officer, who read our comments without any reaction.

Unfortunately, a magnet just won't cut it.