The three central museums of the National Museum Complex, namely the National Museum of Fine Arts, National Museum of Anthropology, and National Museum of Natural History, are among the best museums in Manila. Admission is free, walk-in visitors are accepted and the three museums are now open seven days a week (including Mondays!) from 9:00am to 6:00pm.
If you're looking for places to take balikbayan or foreign guests or spend a day with the family in the metro near Intramuros, you've probably considered taking them here. You could easily spend half a day in one museum or the whole day if you explore all three.
While the museums are great, finding convenient and secure parking options nearby can be challenging for car owners, especially if you visit on a weekend or holiday. The complex welcomes thousands of visitors every day, with peak hours usually after lunch on weekends.
I’d recommend visiting in the morning when they open at 9:00am or commuting to get to the museums rather than taking a car. It’s also more convenient to walk, take rideshares, or hail e-trikes (warning: they tend to overcharge) from nearby spots instead of attempting to park right next to the museums.
But if you’re coming from far areas or are traveling with seniors and kids, it might make more sense to drive and park nearby. Here are some parking options in and near the National Museum Complex in Manila to consider.
National Museum of Fine Arts
We inquired with the Central Museum Visitor Operations Division where the best place to park nearby is and were told that the National Museum of Fine Arts has two main parking areas.
Limited parking is available directly on the National Museum of Fine Arts driveway facing Padre Burgos Street and Intramuros. However, this area can only accommodate a few cars and motorcycles so it’s best to arrive early to secure a slot here.
In case you didn't know, there's a larger dedicated parking area in front of the National Museum of Fine Arts across from the Philippine Normal University and the LRT. Just look for the large #NationalMuseum sign (with a hashtag). Parking here is completely free of charge.
Once you get to one museum, you can easily cross to the other two.
While there used to be a parking area near the Museum of Natural History of Anthropology, this is no longer available after rehabilitation works were done in Agrifina Circle. You could try your luck parking at the restaurants along Kalaw Avenue like Pancake House, though street parking is limited and usually reserved for dine-in customers.
Near Rizal Park and Quirino Grandstand
Since the National Museum Complex is near Rizal Park and Quirino Grandstand, you can explore parking areas especially near the restaurants there. If you plan to spend the whole day at the museum, you're bound to get hungry. While the National Museum of Fine Arts has a small, cooperative-run canteen, there aren’t other spots to eat within the National Complex itself.
You might want to patronize the cafes and restaurants of nearby hotels or establishments beside Quirino Grandstand to access their parking area before or after your museum visit.
The Ocean Park / Harbor View area is relatively near, so you could take a cab or walk from there. Harbor View Restaurant has a spacious parking area. Other hotels with dedicated parking areas and restaurants include Manila Hotel, Hotel H20 and Rizal Park Hotel.
SM City Manila
If you want a safe and covered place to park, malls might be a better option. SM City Manila in Ermita, approximately 1 kilometer from the museum complex, offers ample parking space, with loads of dining options to choose from? You can dine here before walking to the National Museum of Fine Arts or take a taxi to drop you at the nearest museum entrance of your choice. Take note that SM City Manila is implementing a one way traffic scheme. Visitors should use the U-turn slot along Antonio Villegas St. for mall parking access.
According to their website’s FAQ page, most SM Malls charge an hourly rate of P50 for the first 4 hours and P10 per additional hour from Monday to Friday while the flat rate is P50 on weekends and holidays. SM City Manila also charges P200 plus the regular parking fee for lost parking tickets while overnight parking costs P300 plus the regular parking fee.
In a Facebook post, SM City Manila shared they offer free bike parking for those shopping and dining at the mall. Bikers can lock up bikes safely at the bicycle racks located at the Carpark Level 2.
Robinson’s Manila
Robinson’s Manila, along Pedro Gil, cor M. Adriatico St, Ermita, is another mall option relatively near the National Museum Complex that offers a safe and convenient spot to leave your vehicle and dine after. The Natural History Museum is about a 10-minute walk away through Maria Orosa Street and Kalaw Avenue.
Regular mall hours are from Monday to Sunday from 10am to 10pm, but parking is available even before mall hours, though they charge higher fees. From 6am to 10am, they charge cars P100 for the first 3 hrs and P20/hr for succeeding hours. If parking between 10:01 am to 2am, it’ll cost you P50 for the first 3 hours and P20/hr for succeeding Hours. Robinson’s Manila charges a flat rate of P50 for weekends and holidays. Motorcycles are charged a flat rate of P50 (per entry). Overnight parking after 2:00 am will cost you P300 on top of the regular parking fee. Lost or damaged cards/tickets are charged P200.
Does the National Museum have bicycle parking in the area?
No. At the moment, there’s no designated bicycle parking area or grills where you can lock full-sized bikes within the museum complex the last time I checked and as confirmed by the National Museum’s Central Museum Visitor Operations Division.
As shared by the FB page Explore your City on a Bicycle, security guards usually point bikers to racks across the streets on the Intramuros side. However, it can be scary to leave bikes there. If you’re traveling alone on a compact folding bike, you may be able to stash it in the designated baggage counter in the visitor lobby. However, there's no guarantee they'll accept it and it's not advisable (especially for group riders) and on weekends, as storage space is limited and the National Museum get thousands of visitors every day.
We’re hoping the National Museum Complex management can factor in SAFE bicycle parking areas soon.
How to get to the National Museum Complex by public transportation
If you do plan to drive and park a car, try to come early and visit in the morning. The National Museums open as early as 9:00 am, and most visitors tend to come after after 1:00 pm and stay until closing time. According to museum staff, it’s also easier to park on weekdays instead of weekends.
Given the potential parking limitations, you might want to consider using public transport, particularly the LRT-1 line to get to the National Museum Complex. For commuters, if you plan to start with the Museum of Natural History and Museum of Anthropology across, the closest LRT 1 station is the U.N. Ave Station, 4-5 minutes away.
Meanwhile, if you plan to visit the National Museum of Fine Arts first, you can get down at the Central Terminal Station. It’s about a 10-15 minute walk through the front of Manila City Hall, across the Lagusnilad Underpass to the Intramuros side, and crossing the street at Pade Burgos Avenue to get to the main museum entrance. From there, you can cross the street to access the other two museums.
Take note that parking availability, policies and fees could change over time.
Got any other parking tips for the National Museum to share? Let us know in the comments section.
