Here's how to take a virtual tour of the Manila Metropolitan Theater

After years of inactivity, the Manila Metropolitan Theater (MET) is set to reopen in April this year for the 500th anniversary of the Victory at Mactan in Cebu.

As per initial reports, the theater will be hosting a special program to mark the historic occasion.

Likewise, the city of Manila is in talks with MET representatives for possible programs related to the 450th Manila Day anniversary in June.

However, the renovation and restoration works are still ongoing and visiting the iconic structure on a whim at the moment is not advisable either.

Recently, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and Manila have separately released pictures to give the public a glimpse of the renovated theater.

But if you are tired of looking at the photos, Pamana - a digital preservation project - has launched a virtual tour of the MET to further drum up excitement.

Curious? Set foot inside the MET by taking a 360-degree tour here.

Making a comeback

Inaugurated on December 10, 1931, the MET was designed by architect Juan Arellano.

The stunning art deco structure has been dubbed the Grand Dame of Manila's theaters' for its lavish architecture.

The theater has hosted many performances during its glory days including the first Mickey Mouse cartoon and the maiden movie produced by local studio LVN Pictures.

The bombings during World War II left the building heavily damaged, rendering it useless and not suited for cultural performances and events.

Efforts have been initiated to renovate and reopen the venue. The MET shut down its doors again in 1996 after operating for a short time.

Talks of reviving the theater resurfaced in 2010, this time with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Manila mayor Alfredo Lim discussing the possibility.

The plan, however, fell through and the MET remained neglected as restoration plans continued to fizzle out in between.

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) in 2015 sold the property to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), which initiated a restoration plan to salvage the theater.

Then Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said after the sale, “The MET was once a testament to the richness of Philippine culture and artistry, but decades of neglect brought this beautiful landmark into serious disrepair.

“The Aquino administration, through the NCCA, has taken the first step to restore the MET to its former glory. It will take some time, but we are confident that the NCCA has the capacity to take on such a formidable task.”

The MET's upcoming opening in April is the culmination of the painstaking restoration efforts overseen by the NCCA following the sale.