Manila Metropolitan Theater

Art Deco masterpiece restored to glory after decades of decay and neglect

The Manila Metropolitan Theater on Arroceros Street is the finest example of Art Deco architecture in the Philippines and one of the best in Southeast Asia. Designed by Juan Arellano and completed in 1931, it features an ornate exterior decorated with tropical motifs — Filipino flowers, vines, and reliefs — integrated into the geometric Art Deco vocabulary. The renovated interior holds a main hall and smaller venues.

After decades of deterioration, the theater was fully restored by 2021 and operates again as a performance venue. Productions include classical music, ballet, theater, and film screenings. Check the current programme before visiting — the interior is best experienced during a performance. The building stands near Rizal Park and can be combined with a visit to the National Museum complex across the street.

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A story
The Met opened in 1931 as the grandest entertainment venue in Southeast Asia, then fell into disuse and decay across the following decades, serving variously as a venue, a storage space, and a home for squatter communities. By the 1990s it was a ruin. A major restoration completed in 2021 brought it back — the Art Deco facades, the tropical motifs, and the interior have been carefully renewed.

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