The recent nuptials of Dominique Cojuangco and businessman Michael Hearn created a stir on social media when it was revealed that the reception was held at the National Museum of Natural History in Manila.
It followed an intimate wedding ceremony held at the San Agustin Church on Saturday, March 4, 2023, and was attended only by their friends and family.
Dominique is the only daughter of actress Gretchen Barretto and businessman Tonyboy Cojuangco, who served as the Chairperson of the National Museum from 1998 to 2010.
Read:
Some were surprised to know that private events can be held in the National Museum.
PHOTO: Screengrab from Twitter
ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓
Several netizens argued whether it was suitable to rent the venue, particularly on weekends when this may be the only time individuals can engage in leisurely activities like visiting museums.
PHOTO: Screengrab from Twitter
Conversely, others supported the rental of the museum as a means to generate funds to preserve museum artifacts.
CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓
PHOTO: Screengrab from Twitter
PHOTO: Screengrab from Twitter
ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓
EVENTS AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM
One of the most recent events held at the National Museum was the 10th-anniversary fashion show of renowned Filipino designer Michael Leyva.
Accompanied by performances from Regine Velasquez-Alcasid and Erik Santos, Michael showcased his collection titled “Hiraya,” which means “the fruit of one’s hopes and aspirations.”
Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, Anne Curtis, and Vice Ganda were among the celebrities who walked in Michael’s creations.
PHOTO: National Museum / Facebook
ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓
The National Museum of Natural History was also the venue of the “Balik Saya” design competition finale in May 2018.
The project sought to promote and educate today’s youth about the traditional baro’t saya dress.
Rep. Cristal Bagatsing from the 5th District of Manila led this collaborative effort with the Intramuros Administration, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), National Museum of the Philippines, Rustan’s, the Bayleaf Hotels Manila, and Ilustrado.
Actress/politician Lucy Torres-Gomez, and fashion designers Inno Sotto and Jojie Lloren were among the celebrities who attended the event.
PHOTO: PR Photo
ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓
Events have also been held at the National Museum prior to its renovation in 2017.
Regine Velasquez performed on the steps of the National Museum for her 2002 concert titled One Night with Regine, for the benefit of Bantay Bata Foundation.
Regine stated in a virtual press conference held in February 2021 that she considers this concert as her most unforgettable concert performance throughout her career that spans almost four decades.
She said, “That was a huge concert that ABS-CBN gave me. That was my dream, to perform at the National Museum, and they made it a reality for me, so thank you, ABS-CBN.”
PHOTO: @electroedge on Twitter
ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓
The National Museum grounds hosted the prestigious Miss Earth 2006 coronation on November 26, 2006. The coveted title was clinched by Hil Hernández from Chile, who received her crown from outgoing titleholder Alexandra Braun, Miss Earth 2005.
PHOTO: Paul Chin | Wikimedia Commons
The National Museum is also a picturesque venue for couples.
ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓
Christian Bautista and his wife Kat Ramnani, as well as Toni Gonzaga and Paul Soriano, are among the celebrities who had their pre-wedding shoots at the National Museum.
PHOTO: Pat Dy
PHOTO: Mymetrophoto
ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓
HOW TO BOOK AND RATES
Securing a reservation for a private event at the National Museum can be a challenging endeavor.
To initiate the process, interested parties must compose a formal letter of request directed to the Head of the Agency, Director-General Jeremy R. Barns, no less than 30 days prior to the scheduled event.
Upon obtaining the director-general’s approval, organizers must adhere to a stringent set of regulations provided by the National Museum’s management on their official website.
Their application form lists several rental venues that are available, which include the following:
- National Museum of Fine Arts
- Auditorium
- Sergio Osmeña Function Hall
- Claro M. Recto Function Hall
- National Museum of Anthropology
- Marble Hall
- Courtyard
- Ayala Room
- Reception Hall
- National Museum of Natural History
- The Shell Philippines Centennial Courtyard (Upper)
- The Shell Philippines Centennial Courtyard (Lower) Hyundai Philippines Entrance Hall (Marble Hall)
- North Function Hall
- BDO East Function Hall
- BDO South Function Hall
ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓
- Outdoor
- The Statue of the Sentinel of Freedom (Lapulapu Monument)
- Binhi ng Kalayaan
- Others
Those who are planning to hold an event at the National Museum should be ready to allocate a significant amount of funds.
According to Philippine Tatler, “the rates vary per event.”
Jorel Legaspi, the National Museum of the Philippines’ Deputy Director-General for Museums, told Esquire Philippines that the rates to rent any of the said venues are around PHP50,000 to PHP100,000.
However, this estimate does not include additional expenses such as electricity, security, manpower, VAT, and various other fees.
A Reddit Philippines user who had previously inquired about the rates for renting the National Museum’s venues said the prices range from PHP300,000 to PHP400,000.
According to the same Reddit Philippines user, the National Museum performs a type of background investigation on the client to determine their capacity to hold an event in any of their venues since they house the Philippines’ treasures.
ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓
Meanwhile, to utilize the National Museum as the location for pre-event photography and videography, a fee of PHP5,000 for the application is required.
The guidelines on how to book the venue for location shoots are also made available on National Museum’s official website.
READ MORE:
HOT STORIES
