Explore a Full-Scale Representation of a Galleon Ship at this New Museum in MOA
Museo Del Galeon is a four-level experiential museum that showcases the Philippines’ maritime history.
by Ina Louise Manto | April 29, 2026
Learning about the country’s history isn’t difficult, especially with the number of destinations and museums in the metro alone. You can easily explore three National Museums or travel back in time when you go to the old Walled City of Intramuros. But something new just opened in Pasay City, offering a unique museum experience for visitors. Here’s everything you need to know about the Museo del Galeón.
Museo Del Galeón
Museo del Galeón is an experiential maritime heritage museum – one of the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia. Located at the SM Mall of Asia Complex, the museum is in a four-level dome-shaped structure spanning about 9,000 square meters. It explores how the sea shaped the Philippines and its place in a wider world, with the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade and Filipino maritime heritage at the heart of its narrative.
At the center of the museum is a full-scale reconstruction of the Galeon Espiritu Santo, a reconstruction of a 17th-century ship that once sailed between Manila and Acapulco.
The museum highlights a significant chapter in the maritime and cultural history that is often not fully explored in mainstream public education.
Visitors can explore Galeon Espiritu Santo. | Photos by Ina Manto for WindowSeat.PH
Through immersive exhibits and interpretive storytelling, the museum helps audiences understand that the galleon was more than a ship. It was a symbol of a global connection, commerce, exploration, and cultural encounter.
What to expect in the museum
Galleries
Photos by Ina Manto for WindowSeat.PH
Aside from the gigantic full-scale representation of Galeon Espiritu Santo, Museo Del Galeon also has four interactive galleries that showcase the journey of trade and maritime exploration in the Philippines:
- Gallery I: Ancient Mariners and Their Sea Routes
- Gallery II: Circling the World and Back
- Gallery III: The New World and the Confluence of Cultures
- Gallery IV: The Philippines as a Maritime Nation
Permanent installations
Visitors can also walk around the entire dome and marvel at the Fleet of the Centuries, a floating installation of 181 galleons that commemorate the ships that carried a world of exchange across the Pacific.
Sea of Lights
Fully encircling the museum’s interior dome, this vast LED display surrounds visitors with seascapes, storms, and constellations, transforming the museum into a living maritime horizon. This is the largest indoor LED installation in the Philippines and the largest indoor LED band installation in the world.
Pillars of Exchange
Ten monumental pillars, each representing a defining theme of galleon trade, all brought to life through rare artifacts and representative objects displayed at each base.
Education
Beyond preserving history, Museo del Galeón is designed to make it more accessible, engaging, and relevant to today’s audiences. The museum features curriculum-supported programs, guided tours, lectures, hands-on workshops, interactive exhibits, and educational materials for teachers, which offer meaningful opportunities for children, students, educators, and the public to explore maritime history beyond the classroom.
As a new heritage destination, it is expected to attract students, families, researchers, and heritage audiences, with a projected attendance of around 300,000 visitors annually.
Museo del Galeón Ticket Prices
Museo De Galeon opens to the public on May 1, 2026. Here are the ticket prices:
Adult – PHP 675
Children (above 2 feet) – PHP 375
Children (under 2 feet) – Free
Private school students: K to Uni – PHP 375
Public school students: K to Uni – PHP 275
Teachers – PHP 275
Discounted rates are also available for Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
Tickets may be purchased through Museo del Galeón’s official website or through the museum’s official ticketing channels once bookings become available.
How to get there
Getting to Museo del Galeón is easy and convenient, as it is connected directly to SM Mall of Asia. If you’ll be coming from the mall, go to Seaside Boulevard and take the escalator near Tong Yang, and you’ll find the entrance on the second floor.
If you’re driving, here’s the exact location:
Museo Del Galeón
SM Mall of Asia Complex, Seaside Boulevard corner Sunset Avenue, Bay City, Pasay City, 1300 Philippines
Museo del Galeón Opening Hours
Whether you’re visiting with friends and family or an educator planning your school’s field trip, Museo del Galeón is open on Wednesdays through Sundays, from 10 AM to 7 PM.
For more updates on ticket availability and special announcements, visit Museo Del Galeon’s official websites and social media pages.
