Guide to Museums in the Philippines
If your class cannot physically go to museums showcasing Philippine cultural heritage, check out the website of the National Museum of the Philippines.
The National Museum of the Philippines is the repository and guardian of the Philippines’ heritage. A lead government cultural agency, the museum was established in 1901 and now occupies the former Congress Building and the former Finance building in the Agrifina Circle of Rizal Park.
Aside being the home of the famous Spolarium, the National Museum also houses an Anthropology Division. It is concerned with the field study and documentation of the different ethno-linguistic groups in the country.
There are a number of exhibits that showcase cultural conservation of vernacular architecture and boat architecture, among others. The collection is composed of some 10,000 items, divided into ethnic groups. These are:
- Ibaloy - Kabayan Benguet
- Ethnographic and Liturgical Arts - Magsingal, Ilocos Sur
- Pala'awan and Tagbanua - Quezon, Palawan
- Manobo Culture - Butuan City
- The Maguindanao, Manobo, Tiruray and T'Boli - Cotabato City
- Sama Traditional Boats - Fort Pilar, Zamboanga City
- Sama, Subanon and Yakan Cultures - Fort Pilar, Zamboanga City
- The Tausug, Jolo, Sulu
- The Ifugao - Kiangan, Ifugao
- The Itawis - Tuguegarao, Cagayan
- The Marinduque Culture - Boac, Marinduque
As of now, they are preparing exhibits on Bicol culture, Philippine textile and traditional boats of Zamboanga and Jolo, Sulu.
Should the class decide to visit, the National Museum requires a reservation a week or a day in advance. Brochures are available to better acquaint the students to the exhibits. Museum visits take about an hour.
If the class has already been to the National Museum, take them instead on a virtual museum field trip with the University of San Carlos Virtual Museum. Located in Cebu, the USC has an extensive collection on Philippine history and cultural heritage, ranging from Spanish colonial heritage to various Philippine flora and fauna species.
Despite being a general museum, the focus of the University Museum collection is on Central and Southern Philippines.
There are four galleries upon entering the museum: Hispanic/Colonial, Ethnographic, Archaeological/Prehistoric, and Natural History. All these can be viewed online.
Sources:
“Philippine National Museum.” Retrieved November 18, 2009 from
http://philmuseum.tripod.com/index
“University Museum.” Retrieved November 18, 2009 from
http://museum.usc.edu.ph/?type=Exhibition&id=65
(Published 07 December 2009, Smart Communications Inc.)
