MAKATI CITY — The Ayala Museum will welcome scholars and heritage enthusiasts for its first international gold conference, “Ritual, Ornament, Currency: Gold in Early Asian Cultures,” on October 21 and 22, 2026, as part of the country’s Museums and Galleries Month celebration. The two-day gathering will bring together international and Philippine scholars from various fields to examine the cultural, historical, and archaeological significance of gold across early Asian societies. The conference is anchored on the three-year loan of gold artifacts from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) for the Ayala Museum exhibition “Reuniting the Surigao Treasure: From the Collections of Ayala Museum and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (2024–2027).”
Exploring Asia’s Golden Heritage
Curated and convened by exhibition curator Florina Capistrano-Baker, Ph.D., the conference will focus on three major areas: the historical, cultural, and archaeological contexts of pre-colonial Philippine gold; related traditions involving cultural materials across the region; and the monetary history of gold in the Philippines. The event builds on the Ayala Museum’s ongoing “Reuniting the Surigao Treasure” exhibition, which brought together 38 gold objects loaned by the BSP with around 1,000 gold pieces from the museum’s permanent collection. The reunited objects offer visitors and researchers an opportunity to view pieces that had been separated after their discovery in Surigao del Sur decades ago.
A Two-Day Cultural Experience in Makati
The conference will take place at two significant venues. The first day will be held at the Ayala Museum in Makati City, while the second day will move to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Complex. The venue arrangement connects the museum experience with the institution responsible for the country's monetary system and the preservation of part of the country's gold heritage. For visitors interested in Philippine history, archaeology, art, and Asian culture, the conference offers an opportunity to engage with discussions surrounding one of the region’s most enduring cultural materials.
Plan Your Visit
“Ritual, Ornament, Currency: Gold in Early Asian Cultures” is scheduled for October 21–22, 2026, with Day 1 at the Ayala Museum and Day 2 at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Complex. Registration is open to interested participants, while details on speakers and the full program are expected to be announced. The event forms part of the Ayala Museum’s continuing efforts to promote cultural understanding and scholarship on Philippine and Asian heritage.
