The best museums Luzon

Founded in 1911, by the Belgian missionary mother Basil Gekière, the museum houses a collection of objects that give a glimpse of the way of life of the 7 tribes of the Cordillera. Photographs, relating the indigenous customs are exposed. The traditions of the Igorots, the Bontocs, the Kalingas, the Kakaneys of Benguet, the Ilongots, the Aetas and the Ibalois are examined in detail. Replicas of traditional houses in the museum's garden showcase ancient tools, jars, porcelain, antique jewelry and traditional costumes.

Located at the eastern end of Rizal Park, the National Museum includes museums of fine arts, natural history, Filipino people, etc. It is one of the most interesting museums in Manila. There are many collections and temporary exhibits that trace the rich and varied history of the Philippines. It is easy to spend the day there and it is a very good gateway to the culture of the country. Especially since the cultural offer is quite reduced outside the city, so we take advantage of it!

An interesting museum about the national hero Jose Rizal whose death inspired the struggles for Philippine independence. Restored in 2014, it shows objects that belonged to him when he was imprisoned for two months before being executed on December 30, 1896. Among the objects on display are books and manuscripts, letters, sculptures, paintings, but also souvenirs brought back from his many boat expeditions and objects from his home in Calamba. The video projections allow us to recall the atmosphere of the time.

This house in Spanish colonial architecture was transformed into a museum. It was built in 1849 and is the birthplace of this national hero. It is from the window of this house that the Philippine flag was raised for the first time: it was on 12 June 1898, the day on which the independence of the Philippines was proclaimed. An underground passage was recently discovered at the back of the garden. It was intended as a rallying point for the revolutionary movement.

Completed in 1908, the mansion is the summer residence of Philippine heads of state. The mansion also houses a mini-museum with a wealth of memorabilia and artwork that U.S. Governors General and Presidents have collected over the years. Its elaborate wrought iron gate is inspired by Buckingham Palace in London. The residence is adjacent to Wright Park, where horses can be rented for a ride on the pine-sheltered paths. The place is appreciated for its romantic and peaceful atmosphere and its beautiful gardens.

This museum belongs to one of the most famous families of artists in the country: the Blanco family, whose mother, father and seven children all became great artists. In different styles, they mainly paint everyday life, rural life and landscapes. This private museum houses a large collection of 400 works. Very friendly, the staff will be happy to guide you and give you some explanations.

This museum is located in the former home of the martyr Padre José Burgos, who was executed by the Spaniards in 1872. The visit allows to get acquainted with the history of the province and the way of life of the inhabitants of the time (pottery, tools, clothes, jewelry). Also on display are 14 paintings by Esteban Villanueva (a businessman and self-taught artist), done in 1821, which evoke the Basi revolt of 1807. Basi is a sugarcane wine, and this revolt followed the prohibition by the Spaniards of all basi production in the provinces of Ilocos.

This small, unpretentious museum is located in Governor Park. It offers a lively approach to the life of the different tribes of the central Cordillera, the provinces of the mountains. It is full of interesting information (in English, though). Handicrafts (wood carvings, baskets, jewelry, pottery and weaving tools, newspaper articles) are exhibited there. Its architecture is for example inspired by the traditional ifugaos houses with the pyramidal roof and the wooden columns to raise the hut.

It is located in the Rizal Park. And it is the favorite museum of children. It is composed of eight themed rooms that show the works of Filipino artists, replica boats, churches and miniature houses, jungle replica. The museum regularly organizes activities for children during weekends such as puppet shows, storytelling, and other creative workshops. In short, many recreational activities to learn more about Filipino traditions and customs while having fun.

In the district of San Miguel, on the right bank of the Pasig River, stands Malacañang Palace, a grand colonial-style mansion completed in 1802. Spanish nobles, Manila governors, American governors and finally some of the Philippine presidents have successively resided here after the Governor's Palace in Intramuros was destroyed by the 1863 earthquake. Today it is still officially the main residence and workplace of the President of the Philippines, although in reality, not all of them have lived there.

It provides an insight into the history, culture, music, arts and crafts of Palawan and its people. Indeed, more than eighty different ethnic groups live in Palawan, each with their own unique customs and ways of life. There are also exhibits of archaeological, geological and ethnological collections. You can see jars and porcelain, prehistoric tools, artifacts found in the Tabon Caves and Spanish era antiquities found near Cuyo.

The memorial is located in the center of the island and is the highest point of the island. It was built in 1968 by the Americans as a tribute to the Filipino and American soldiers of the Second World War. Up there, there is also a small museum, a kind of reconstructed barracks that houses war memorabilia. It is a place full of history that will interest those who wish to learn more about the World War II period in the Philippines.

The Ayala Museum, which has existed since 1974, was renovated in 2019. It is one of the most beautiful museums in the city. Among its collections, acquired over the years, are mainly archaeology, history, fine arts and iconography. Through its various galleries and exhibitions, one travels through the history and culture of the Philippines from the pre-colonial era to the Second World War and the great voyages. Exhibitions dedicated to particular artists or themes are regularly organized. What to see.

Opened in the heart of Makati in 2005, the Yuchengco Museum was originally envisioned to house the art collections of Philippine Ambassador to the United Nations Alfonso Yuchengco, a businessman, collector, philanthropist, and advocate of education in the Philippines who passed away in 2017. Today, one comes here to explore the country's history through its arts and artists like the famous painter and muralist Botong Francisco. You can find postcards, catalogs and other products around the exhibitions in the museum store.

The Metropolitan Museum of Manila is one of the most important museums in the capital. It is the first museum in the Philippines to exhibit contemporary art. Located in Malate for 45 years, it moved in 2021 to the new trendy district of Bonifacio Global City. The institution is committed to showcasing contemporary Filipino artists and bringing them into dialogue with international artists. Their credo is art accessible to all. Rich programming online.

A very small museum that traces the history of the Manila Hotel, a place full of history and witness to the destruction of the city by the Japanese. Since 1912, it has seen many personalities like General MacArthur, Prince Charles, Neil Armstrong and Marlon Brando. It is also the occasion to visit this palace where, as soon as you enter the huge lobby, you jump back in time: back to the beginning of the century. The staff is in costume and a pianist floods the room with a soft melody from his grand piano. A real Grand Hotel atmosphere.

Casa Manila is the name of both the house and the museum it houses. It is one of the houses that make up the beautiful San Luis passage. Built in the 1970s, its architecture is inspired by the houses of Binondo's Chinatown from the ^mid-19th century. The facade is a little colorful and very beautiful. In the museum, a reconstructed interior shows how a rich family might have lived at the end of the colonial period. With furniture from Europe and China, glittering chandeliers, porcelain and gilding, evidence of a certain luxury.

The city of Marikina (we speak more of a city in its own right than the district of Quezon City, which is logical for a city of 3.3 million inhabitants) is known as the shoe capital of the Philippines. We will go to this shoe museum to "admire" the gigantic shoe collection (some 300 pairs anyway!) of Imelda Marcos, the wife of the former president-dictator Marcos. You can also learn more about the shoe-making process and there is a small market next door to... find the right shoe.

Opened in 2019, the Legazpi City Museum is the only museum in the Bicol region. Despite its young age, it's not the most modern of museums, with its big yellow signs (it's even cheesy, let's say) but the information is clear and interesting. The visit is quite quick, in 1 hour, and is perfect to learn more about the history of the city by developing the major eras (pre-colonial, Spanish, Japanese, American, the visit of Pope John Paul II, etc.). Interesting for a rainy afternoon for example.

Located 15 minutes from Baguio, this museum exhibits a permanent collection of the national artist Benedicto Cabrera, considered the best-selling artist of his generation of Filipino artists. Paintings by the master, collection of indigenous arts and works by contemporary Filipino artists. A souvenir store, a café and a small forest trail complete the pleasant ensemble. An interesting museum that succeeds in merging art and nature, located in a rather exceptional natural setting, in the heart of the mountains. Will appeal to contemporary art lovers!