The world’s once largest crocodile in captivity, Lolong, will now have a new home in the National Museum of Natural History.
Lolong was certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the “world’s largest crocodile in captivity” until its death in 2013 in Agusan del Sur.
The new museum, which will open by the end of October, will have 12 galleries featuring the country’s rich wildlife and natural history.
The National Museum of the Philippines restored the building’s neo-classical architecture, which previously housed the Department of Tourism.
Beneath the museum’s majestic glass dome is the six-story-high Tree of Life architectural design, inspired by the double helix structure of our DNA.
The Philippine Pearl, also known as the South Sea Pearl, was declared as the National Gem in 1996.
Taxidermy of various species of animals on display
Experience Louvre Abu Dhabi for as low as Dh30
General admission ticket at Louvre Abu Dhabi, which is set to open in Saadiyat Island on November 11, will cost Dh60, but visitors aged 13-22 years old, including students, will be able to enter the much-anticipated museum for Dh30.
The museum’s doors will be open for free to children 13 years and younger, member of the museum’s loyalty program, International Council of Museums, International Council on Monuments and Sites, journalists, visitors with special needs and their companion.
His Highness Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, said the museum will help boost the UAE’s cultural presence.
“Louvre Abu Dhabi reflects the UAE’s approach toward cultural connectivity and its pursuit to become a beacon of knowledge and tolerance,” HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed said on his Twitter account immediately after the announcement of the museum’s opening.
According to its website, the museum will house 12 galleries that will tell the story of the human race in both thematic and chronological order.
Aside from banner art pieces like Monet’s La Gare Saint Lazare, a portrait by Vincent Van Gogh and Leonardo da Vinci’s La Belle Ferronniere, the establishment alone is expected to attract tourists as it was designed by Pritzker Prize winner Jean Nouvel.
