National Arts Center

The National Arts Center is a cultural complex located on the slopes of Mount Makiling in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines, within the Makiling Forest Reserve. Established in 1976 and designed by National Artist Leandro Locsin, it houses the Philippine High School for the Arts and features a theater, galleries, and studios. Surrounded by forest, it serves as a venue for arts education, performances, and exhibitions, notable for its modernist architecture and mountain setting.

Visitors can expect a forested mountain setting within the Makiling Forest Reserve with modernist concrete structures designed by Leandro Locsin. The complex includes the Tanghalang Maria Makiling open-air theater, galleries, studios, and dormitories of the Philippine High School for the Arts. Surroundings are dense forest with views of Laguna de Bay. Access is typically by prior arrangement, with opportunities to view architecture, student artworks, and occasional performances and exhibitions.

Established in 1976 as a center for arts and culture on Mount Makiling, commissioned during the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos and designed by National Artist for Architecture Leandro V. Locsin. It was created to provide a dedicated mountain retreat and training center for young Filipino artists and later became the site of the Philippine High School for the Arts established in 1977.

Serves as the campus of the Philippine High School for the Arts, a specialized national high school for artistically gifted students in music, dance, theater, visual arts, and creative writing. It functions as a venue for performances, exhibitions, workshops, and arts education, representing modernist Philippine architecture integrated with a forest environment.