The Presidential Museum and Library, through the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), collaborated with Google to unveil on Wednesday, July 5, an online exhibition on Google Arts & Culture.
“Today, we partner with Google to share invaluable exhibits, artifacts, and architecture that will be preserved for our progeny,” PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar said in his keynote speech.
Bringing the Presidential Museum and Library online is in line with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s mandate to make Malacanan Palace accessible to the people.
“President Rodrigo Roa Duterte said this is the Palace of the people. He started opening the doors of the Presidential Museum and Library, at no cost. All one needs is to schedule an appointment. This collaboration with Google takes it one step further,” Andanar continued.
Google Arts & Culture is an online platform through which the public can virtually tour Google’s partner museums, galleries and art exhibits. It uses a powerful technology called Street View ‘trolley’ to collect views from the site, which in turn provides viewers to a 360-degree view of the interior of the museum.
“President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s government thrives in using innovative and connective technology, from utilizing social media as a way to disseminate information to all corners of the country and the world,” the Presidential Communications Chief said.
Through Google Arts & Culture, online viewers can read about the history of Malacañan Palace, and find curated exhibits such as artwork, furniture, and other items from the collection of the Presidential Museum and private institutions as well as books, journals, portraits, and other memorabilia of Philippine presidents.
Two exhibits highlight the Presidential Museum and Library collection on Google Arts & Culture, bringing the story of the Philippine presidency at the world’s fingertips.
The “Malacañang as Prize, Pulpit, and Stage” exhibit presents Malacañan Palace as the tangible symbol of the people’s trust, as platform from which decisions and orders that affect the Filipinos’ lives emanates, and as stage from which the pomp and pageantry of the Philippine presidency is preserved.
The exhibit “Relics of Power: Remembering the Philippine Presidents,” meanwhile, chronicles the country’s past and current presidents through historical artifacts and artwork.
“They will see Malacañan Palace not just as a venue of frivolity and authority, but as the repository of a collective story about a nation of individuals who struggled and fought for a better life with each leader and government,” Andanar emphasized.
To explore the collections, online users may simply visit Google Arts & Culture website or download the mobile application, available on Android and iOS, and search for ‘Malacañang Presidential Museum and Library’.
“The Presidential Museum and Library just showed the world that the private and public sectors can create meaningful works that will have a lasting impact on our lives,” Andanar concluded.
Other speakers who joined the momentous event were Director Edgar Ryan Faustino, head of the Presidential Museum and Library; Kenneth Lingan, Google Philippines country manager; and Pierre Caessa, Google Arts and Culture program manager.###PCO-Content
