Museum sights in Philippines
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Crisologo Museum
The Crisologos, Vigan’s most prominent political dynasty, have also converted their ancestral home into a strange but interesting family shrine, the Crisologo Museum. In addition to the usual fare of books, photos and other personal items, there is the old Chevy that Governor Carmeling Crisologo was in when she was ambushed in 1961. She survived, but her husband, Floro, a long-time congressman, was not so lucky when he was attacked in a church in 1970. There are a few lurid photos of the killing, and the blood-stained pants he was wearing are preserved in a glass case. The 1st-floor sala is kept mostly as it was when it was occupied, and contains several pieces of colon…
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A
Ayala Museum
Housed in an impressive building, the Ayala Museum is an excellent museum with changing exhibits on Filipino culture, art and history. Past exhibits have included a well-curated one on the proselytising of the early Catholic Church. At the heart of the collection are dozens of dioramas tracing the nation's history. Just as stained-glass windows were a way for churches to engage and educate the masses, so too are these models.
As you browse, it quickly becomes apparent just how violent local history has been. Number 17 showing early troubles for monks rivals anything in the Pirates of the Caribbean for colourful mayhem.The guided tours are highly recommended.
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B
National Museum of the Filipino People
The National Museum of the Filipino People houses a vast collection, including the skullcap of the Philippines' earliest known inhabitant, Tabon Man (said by some to actually be a woman), who lived around 24,000 BC. A large section of the museum is devoted to porcelain plates, coins, jewellery etc recovered from the wreck of the San Diego, a Spanish galleon that sank off the coast of Luzon in 1600. Other treasures include a large collection of pre-Hispanic artefacts and musical instruments.
In the central hall you will find the stunning Spoliarium, painted by Filipino master Juan Luna, which provides harsh commentary on Spanish rule.
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Padre José Burgos National Museum
Built in 1788, the Padre José Burgos National Museum is in the ancestral home of Father José Burgos, one of the three martyr priests executed by the Spanish in 1872. It houses an extensive collection of Ilocano artefacts, including a series of 14 paintings by the locally famed painter Don Esteban Villanueva depicting the 1807 Basi Revolt. Weavings, Tingguian (Itneg) jewellery, musical instruments, pottery, and farming and fishing implements are also on display.
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C
Memorare Manila
At its height, Intramuros instilled fear in Spain’s enemies as a mighty European city, the only one of its kind in Asia. By the end of WWII, the walls here were almost all that remained of the once-proud city, and 150,000 Filipino civilians had perished in the crossfire. Check out the simple but moving open-air Memorare Manila which shows before-and-after photos of the battles.
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D
St Louis University Museum
The excellent St Louis University Museum, in the basement of the campus library, is run by Ike Picpican, one of the country’s foremost authorities on the history and culture of the Cordillera people. Free tours end with participatory native-instrument jam sessions.
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E
Bahay Tsinoy
The Bahay Tsinoy features three-dimensional dioramas and a vast collection of photos that show the role played by the Chinese in the growth of Manila. Present-day Chinese-Filipinos call themselves Chinoys or Tsinoys, hence the museum’s name.
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Museo San Pablo
The Museo San Pablo, in St Paul Cathedral, has a religious theme and is a good place to see old santos (religious statues). The photo collection of a German pharmacist who lived in Vigan for a number of years in the late 1800s also deserves a look.
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F
Museo Pambata
The charming Museo Pambata is near Rizal Park. Its interactive, hands-on exhibits explore Manila through the eyes of kids. Efforts are made to bring everything down to size: there’s even a pint-sized jeepney.
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Excavation Museum
The tiny, sweltering one-room Excavation Museum displays some burial jars and ancient Chinese pottery mostly recovered from shipwrecks – it’s in the grounds of the church.
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G
Metropolitan Museum of Manila
The Metropolitan Museum of Manila showcases a collection of gold ornaments and ancient pottery plus exciting changing exhibits of contemporary Filipino art.
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