The Manila Clock Tower Museum is the newest tourist attraction you can visit in Manila, a city widely considered an important cultural and industrial melting pot in Southeast Asia. Located at the Manila City Hall, the museum has a total of seven floors, with 200 steps to climb, where masterpieces made by notable artists all over the country are showcased in moving exhibits that change every month. It also highlights the Battle of Manila that happened during the Second World War.
At a regular session presided by Vice Mayor John Marvin “Yul Servo” Nieto, the City Council of Manila passed on Thursday, 8 June 2023, a resolution authorizing Mayor Maria Sheilah “Honey” Lacuna-Pangan to enter, through public bidding, into lease contracts with private entities over idle spaces at the Clock Tower. The measure aims to maximize the use of vacant spaces in the area, by adding attractions that will encourage more visitors to come.
Sponsored by 3rd District Councilor Ernesto “Jong” Isip, the Majority Floor Leader, the resolution cites the Local Government Code of 1991, which allows the mayor to enter into contracts on behalf of the local government, with prior authorization from the Sanggunian.
The Clock Tower was inaugurated by Mayor Maria Sheilah “Honey” Lacuna-Pangan last October 2022, and is currently managed by the Department of Tourism, Culture, and Arts of Manila. It is envisioned to have souvenir and coffee shops and other spaces where visitors can relax. It is also expected to feature language translations in the future, for the benefit of foreign guests.
The museum is open to the public for free, from Mondays through Fridays, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Although advance bookings are generally required, walk-ins are permitted for the whole month of June in observance of the Araw ng Maynila.
