For OPM fans: A Filipino music museum is now in the works

MANILA, Philippines – You’ve probably heard of Taiwan’s Taipei Music Center, or Los Angeles’ GRAMMY Museum. Both institutions celebrate music excellence and honor the history behind what it took to achieve that. 

Soon, though, Filipinos won’t need to look elsewhere to celebrate their country’s penchant for sound, as the Philippines is finally getting its own museum dedicated to Filipino music.  

Helmed by the Philippine Association of the Record Industry Inc. — the organization behind the annual Awit Awards — it will be called the Awit Museum, and it promises to be the “premier destination for all OPM fans.” 

The main museum, which aims to emulate the GRAMMY Museum, will house the decades-long history of the Awit Awards. The Filipino award-giving body will celebrate its 40th year in the industry in 2027.

Fans, meanwhile, can look forward to monthly seasonal exhibits, where they can see the exact costumes specific artists performed in, or get a closer look at the props in iconic Filipino music videos, to name a few. 

There will be a dedicated event space for Filipino artists to perform for their fans. 

Similar to any other museum, there will be a store where fans can get their hands on their favorite artists’ merch, and a café for museum-goers to lounge around in. 

More than catering to fans, though, the Awit Museum will house the PARI Office to make it easier for Filipino artists to seek advice from experts about their craft. 

At the museum, PARI will also be hosting regular workshops to help both established and up-and-coming artists hone their work further. 

While an exact opening date has yet to be announced, newly appointed PARI president Enzo Valdez said during a press conference on Tuesday, April 14, that it’s going to be the organization’s long-term cultural project for the next few years. It is also PARI’s biggest initiative to date.

Awit Fest as a fundraiser

To raise funds for the establishment of the museum, PARI will be organizing the Awit Fest alongside Go Live Asia — the production company behind shows like SB19’s “Simula at Wakas” concert, SexBomb Girls’ “Get, Get, Aw!: The SexBomb Concert,” and Cup of Joe’s “Stardust” concert, among others.

The first-ever Awit Fest will be held on January 27. Aside from Filipino bands and singers, the music festival’s lineup will also include a few international artists.

All proceeds from the AWIT Fest will go toward building the Awit Museum. The event’s lineup, venue, and ticket prices have yet to be announced.

“And that’s why together, [the museum] is going to be built by all the artists performing in the Awit Fest,” Valdez added.

As of 2026, a total of 35 music labels are members of PARI — including Sony Music, Universal Music Group Philippines, Star Music, Viva Records, Universal Records, and more.

PARI has been around since 1972, and is dedicated to promoting the local music industry and the people behind it. – Rappler.com