The Diorama Experience: stop, look and listen

MANILA, Philippines - To “re-collect the past and represent the future,” Ayala Museum has enhanced the public’s appreciation of its most well-known exhibition, the Diorama Experience, with newly launched audio guides.

The Diorama Experience exhibition has been synonymous with the Ayala Museum for the past 35 years. The 60 dioramas are designed to be a comprehensive visual approach to Philippine history. But more than that, they present the narrative of the story of the Philippine people in a way that compresses extensive research on the events, architecture, costumes, technologies and topographies of the times they represent. History is thus made more meaningful with the sense of immediacy the presentation provides – the sense of “being there as it happens.”

The idea of building Philippine historical dioramas was first conceived by the artist Fernando Zobel. In 1967, Enrique Zobel, Jaime Zobel de Ayala, and Carlos Quirino, the well-known author, historian, and first director of Ayala Museum, began deliberations on which historical events to portray.

Extensive historical research was undertaken to form the visual composition of each diorama. Visual studies by various artists were submitted and by a process of elimination, five artists were selected and hired for the project: Simeon Abaya, Tam Austria, Mamerto Evangelista, Amorsolo Tuazon, and Guillermo Veloso.

After the studies were completed, the actual construction of the dioramas began. The figurines are made of baticulin wood and were have-carved in Paete, Laguna. The master woodcarvers Esmeraldo Dans, Mar Edjawan and Lauro Sanchez were assisted by three craftsmen, Romeo Nepomuceno, Arturo Conception and Celso Nepomuceno. They were supervised by the late Serafin Bonoan. The construction of each diorama, with an average depth of 2.5 feet, took anywhere from eight months to two years, depending on its structural complexity.

The dioramas were completed and installed in Ayala Museum’s old building along Makati Avenue in June 1974. In 2004, the dioramas were moved to Ayala Museum’s present location at the corner of Makati Avenue and Dela Rosa Street.

Since they were first installed, the dioramas of Ayala Museum have been seen by over a million museum visitors.

The audio guides enhance the learning and viewing experience of the dioramas. The production of the audio guides was made possible through the generous support of the Catawamteak Fund.

Narrated by broadcaster Mari Kaimo and featuring the voices of Jaime Fabregas, Roy Alvarez, Yan Yuzon and Paolo Fabregas, visitors can re-live important milestones in Philippine history as they go through the 60 handcrafted dioramas that form the core of Ayala Museum’s historical collections. The exhibition culminates with a multimedia presentation of the events that led to the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution.

Fees for the use of the audio guides are P100 for adults and P50 for students and senior citizens.

Ayala Museum is located at the corner of Makati Avenue and De la Rosa Street, Greenbelt Park, Makati City. For inquiries on this and other museum exhibitions, please call 757-7117 to 21 local 28 or visit www.ayalamuseum.org.