Housed in the superb American–era main building of the University of Santo Tomas, this museum lays claims to being the oldest in Asia (the university's original campus dates to 1611). The highlight is the wonderful visual arts collection featuring Filipino masters. Otherwise it's a mix of taxidermy, coins, textiles and religious artefacts. The building also has a grim link to WWII, having served as an internment camp that held thousands of Allied soldiers for three years under Japanese occupation.
The building is also noteworthy for its earthquake-resistant design, incorporating construction components interlinked with gaps between.