Museo de Intramuros Is Now Open
Intramuros, the famed Walled City in Manila, has been restored and reconstructed time and again to preserve what was left from our Philippine history. I have been to Intramuros numerous times for a couple of field trips during my younger years and wedding ceremonies today. And it is always refreshing to see new attractions popping up, just like the newly launched Museo de Intramuros.
Since May 2019 is National Heritage Month and it is also Intramuros Administration's (IA) 40th year anniversary, the Department of Tourism (DOT) is opening Museo de Intramuros to the public. Starting MAY 2, 2019, anyone who wants to explore and learn about Philippine culture and history can visit the museum for FREE!
The museum is located in 2 important reconstructions inside the walled city: the San Ignacio Church and the Mission House of Society of Jesus. It is envisioned to house the period art collections of IA that includes ecclesiastical art, furniture, vestments and textiles and other artifacts.
There are 6 components of the exhibition inside the museum which are curated by Dr. Esperanza Gatbonton, Gino Gonzales, Dr. Cecilia dela Paz, Santiago Pilar and Martin Tinio. Composed of 3 floors, this is how they sectioned the exhibition:
Ground floor
Immaculate Conception
Religious Order
Patronato Real and the establishment of Parishes
Second Floor
Religious Colonial Paintings
The establishment of a parish and sacred vessels
Indio Response.
Third Floor
Dioramas and soon to be a library.
It is a must-visit spot because what you will be seeing there are all Filipino-made during the Spanish era, but take note that these are not all collected from Intramuros City. The diversity of the collections are truly exceptional. I heard that they are going to do a revolving display of collections after 6 months or so. I'm looking forward to seeing those additional displays and more detailed information about the artifacts.
But wait, the tour doesn't end there because you can find Instagram-worthy spots in the museum too! Strike a pose by the common area or by the vintage windows. Aren't we glad that DOT and IA ensures that our heritage artifacts and structures are well-preserved and enjoyed by us? So, feel free to visit Museo de Intramuros anytime from Tuesdays to Fridays from 9am to 5pm.
Museum feature photos by me. Portrait photos by Em Cayanan.
