Glass Art, Coffee, Taal Lake ,and More at Museo Orlina

Tagaytay is a common weekend destination for Metro Manila residents because of it's distance.  Compared to other tourist destinations which is an 8-hour drive away or more, Tagaytay is just next door.  About an hour's drive from the city when traffic is not  heavy.  Because city dwellers go there quite often, the get bored with the same old place to spend time there.  Well, here's a new place to go . . .  Museo Orlina, home of internationally-renowned glass sculptor Ramon Orlina.

This multi-level museum houses most of Mr. Orlina's famed glass art works, paintings, and other forms of art including cars and landscape sculpture.  It has a coffee shop at the roofdeck called Greenbean  when you simply just want to relax, take in the view, enjoy the cool weather, and have an intimate chat with a friend or two.

The ampitheater in the garden is open for special shows or private events, read on below for more information about the museum, the man behind it, and the foundation.

Welcome to MUSEO ORLINA

Museo Orlina is the showcase of the artistry of internationally acclaimed Ramon Orlina, pioneer and foremost practitioner of glass sculpture in the country. Before Orlina, glass was largely appreciated only for its utilitarian function: as drinking vessels, window glass panes or automotive windshields. A visionary, Orlina saw beyond the humble origin of this industrial glass residue. The result is an exultant body of works that, through the decades, have dazzled the art scene and prized by numerous collectors. Triumphantly, Orlina has transformed the medium by elevating it to the dignity and respectability of art.

The Museo Orlina opens its door to the public, where they can view superb examples of Ramon Orlina’s scintillating artistry to their delight and enchantment.

MUSEUM INFORMATION

All the Museum Levels are named after Orlina’s children. One enters LEVEL 1 NAESA his eldest daughter to the Reception Lobby.

Also situated here is the Reflections Gallery. It is a choice space devoted to changing exhibitions, reflecting the vitality and dynamism of contemporary Philippine art.  The exciting plurality of various styles, themes and directions is singular proof of the Filipino artists’ genius, renewal and re-invention.

The Reflections Gallery spills onto the LOWER LEVEL that opens up through adoorway to the sculpture garden.

Named after Orlinas’ second daughter, LEVEL 2 NINGNING contains two galleries. One gallery exhibits the early pieces that paved distinct directions to the immense potentiality of glass. The other gallery  exhibits his more recent works, a veritable treasure trove of unrivalled Orlina masterpieces.

Named after the youngest of the Orlina daughters, the LEVEL 3  ANNA gallery showcases the maquettes and photographs of Orlina’s monumental indoor and outdoor works here and abroad over a span of three decades.

MICHAEL ROOFDECK : Named after the único hijo, the only male Orlina progeny, the windswept terrace opens up to the Museum with a view of the Taal lake and volcano.

Herein situated is Greenbean Café where one may enjoy a perfect cup of organically grown coffee, with no chemicals, pesticides or artificial fertilizers used. Now you can take your coffee… green!

SCULPTURE GARDEN AND AMPHITHEATER- Wide, exhilarating outdoor space is the perfect pedestal for solid sculptural forms nestled on their own earthbound haven.- On stage are theatrical, dance and musical presentations rounding off a wholistic artistic experience at Museo Orlina.

CARPORT BELOW AMPHITHEATER STAGE

Museo Orlina displays automotive vehicles that literally served as canvas for Ramon Orlina, National Artist BenCab and Elmer Borlongan. When careening down the highway, these cars are transformed into virtual kinetic rolling sculptures.

About MUSEO ORLINA FOUNDATION, Inc.

The Museo Orlina Foundation, which consists of a  Board of Directors whose select members are experts in their  professional fields, oversees the planning of activities and events  that further enhance the museum’s role as an artistic center.  The museum is committed to support and promote public interest,  awareness, knowledge, education, understanding and enjoyment of modern and contemporary art (visual art) in the Philippines and abroad.

To this end, the Foundation aims to: develop and preserve a permanent collection of original works of art, useful for both research and display; present temporary exhibitions of the highest artistic merit; present educational programs of significant importance; sustain a library and archives for research; and support scholarship and publications of intellectual merit.

Orlina’s contribution to society both to its spirit  and  the economy, is witnessed by the major commissions he has received. The first, ARCANUM XIX, Paradise Gained, greeted me in the foyer of the  Silahis Hotel on the first day of my first visit to the Philippines in 1976. In the 1970s, few large-scale contemporary glass works existed anywhere in the world. This work gave the lie to the popular notion that contemporary glass was a creature of Europe and North America (the work is now on loan to the National Museum).Dr. Gerry King is an internationally known Australian artist and designerworking in contemporary glass. He is also an author, lecturer, workshopleader and consultant. Taken from BluPrint Special Issue on Global Pinoy.

Museo Orlina Interactive Display System

Museo Orlina is now accessible and engaging for everyone with this interactive system where visitors can interact with system's content on the screen. You can choose from more than a dozen applications in the start menu. Select the files you desire to show and then move, resize and rotate your media, videos and pdf documents with an ease of a touch. Draw on your media items and save including notes in a data folder.

Visitors interested in PDF versions of the Orlina files can view these on the screen and requests them directly. No need for brochures, selected PDF files can be mailed (by notification), printed or copied directly to a USB drive. 

_{GENERAL INFORMATION          Operating hours:Tuesdays to Sundays 10:00 AM to 6:00 PMClosed on Mondays, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. Admission:General: PHP 100.00Students and senior citizens with valid ID: PHP 80.00 Note:• Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the Museum.• Still photography for personal use is permitted.    No flash or tripods allowed. No photographs or videotapes    may be reproduced, distributed, or sold without permission    from the Museum.• Outside food and drinks are not permitted in the Museum. Food   and drinks are permitted only in Greenbean Café and may not be   carried into the galleries or other areas.}

For inquiries, please contact:Museo OrlinaHollywood Subdivision Rd., Brgy. Tolentino East, Hollywood Subd.,Tagaytay CityMs. Haidee BedruzMobile No.  : +63 906 434 0862Tel. No :  (046) 413 2581/ email :   info@museo-orlina.org/ Website :   www.museo-orlina.org

Manila office:Orlina AtelierMs. Mhalou PeñasTel. Nos.  :  (02) 781 5918 / 781 9471Telefax     :  (02) 749 6439email               :   orlina@pldtdsl.net website   :   www.orlina.com