For Museums and Galleries Month 2025, NCCA highlights resiliency theme

The National Commission of Culture and the Arts (NCCA), through its Cultural Heritage Section, will celebrate Museums and Galleries Month this October.

The annual celebration highlights the importance of fostering national awareness, pride in Filipino culture, and hope for the Philippines’ future.

This year follows the theme, “Resilient Museums and Galleries: Educating for Preparedness and Recovery," which means museums are more than just physical spaces. They shape national identity and are important for nation-building.

During Wednesday's press conference at the Museo ng Muntinlupa, Renee C. Talavera, NCCA Chief of the Program Management Division said, “Museums and galleries are not just places to store objects, they stand as living testaments to the Filipino spirit. And within their walls, we discover not only artworks, historical artifacts, and religious expressions, but also the embodiment of resilience."

Talavera added museums and galleries are spaces that have learned to prepare for and recover from unexpected disruptions like natural disasters, health crises, and social unrest.

For Talavera, museums are spaces that “nurture strength, inspire recovery, and remind us that resilience is deeply cultural [and] rooted in identity.”

“They teach us not only to appreciate culture, but also to prepare for challenges. They provide comfort and emotional strength during times of uncertainty, and they design programs that help rebuild and empower communities—showing us that resilience is not just survival, but a way of living with hope, purpose, and solidarity.”

Talavera added in an interview with GMA News Online that museums are tools to understand resiliency, and a way to see how these artifacts and activities are ways to learn about how lives are changed.

“Space siya for others to understand papaano [ang] quality of life ay na-a-affect not just from the stories na nasa loob ng museum, kundi sa mga activities [na] mag-e-empower sa communities, students, sa youth, or iba’t ibang age groups,” she said.

“Tool ang museum para magkaroon ng deeper understanding sa resiliency,” Talavera added, who hopes the theme inspires community, as resiliency happens when people come together to help.

“These collections tell the stories of our struggles and triumphs, traditions and innovations, and shared identity as Filipinos,” Talavera said in her speech.

“This annual celebration is not just about looking back, but also looking deeply into who we are as a people, what we treasure, and how we carry these treasures forward for future generations.”

Among the activities to look forward to are the NCCA Gallery Opening on October 7 and 8, Luzon Art Fair on October 9, and ManilART on October 15.

More museums and galleries are set to announce their activities for the month's festivities.

The full schedule of activities would be put up on the Museums and Galleries Month microsite on the NCCA website.

Muntinlupa City Councilor Hon. Jedidiah R. Presnedi, Head of National Committee on Art Galleries Tess Rayos Del Sol, Muntinlupa City Mayor Hon. Ruffy Biazon, NCCA Deputy Executive Director for Operations Bernan Joseph Corpuz, Head of National Committee on Art Galleries Jose Eleazar Bersales, NCCA Chief of the Program Management Division Renee C. Talavera