Cebu’s pocket-sized museums

MANILA, Philippines - Most travelers know Cebu is the oldest city in the Philippines, with the oldest street, Colon; the oldest fort, Fort San Pedro; and the oldest religious image, the Santo Niño.

But Cebu has many other attributes: beautiful beaches with resorts that offer diving and other water sports; nearby mountains with natural wonders, beckoning new adventure. Cebu is home to Sinulog, the mother of all festivals. Its cuisine is distinctive, and shopping is rich and varied. Pampering in spas is de rigueur, and the nightlife is vibrant.

During my last visit home to Cebu, I dedicated one weekend to update myself on an activity I missed – enjoying what the museums have to offer. With this brief compilation, by no means complete, you will discover hidden treasures of the city. These places are pocket-sized, specialized museums that make the exposure and appreciation of history and heritage, arts and culture not overwhelming at all. Trust me and walk with me…

Fort San Pedro

A. Pigafetta Street

8 am to 5 pm daily, even holidays

P30 for adults, P25 for senior citizens, P20 for students and children

Know this The fort by Plaza Independencia was built as an army garrison by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the Spanish conquistador who arrived in Cebu in 1565. It holds the distinction of being the oldest and smallest fort in the country. As time passed, the mortar-and-stone structure became a prison, an American barracks, a school, and even a hospital.

What’s here What was once a foreboding military post is now a garden museum, a choice venue for celebrations and milestones. I liken it to a pirate’s gallery with its trio of towers that serve as viewing decks and lookouts. Most important, it now has samples of more than 50 species of plants and trees that originally came from Mexico via the Galleon Trade such as corn, cocoa, and sugar cane. This heritage site is a great way to start visits to other museums.

More to see Explore the various areas of the old fort – walkways, centuries-old cannons lying here and there, wishing wells in some hidden corners, even areas where butterflies fly freely. You might even uncover secret passages.

Basilica Del Santo Niño Museum

Basement of the Pilgrim Center, Basilica del Santo Niño, Osmeña Boulevard

8 to 11:45 am and 1:30 to 4:45 pm, Mondays to Sundays, closed on Wednesdays

P30 for adults, P15 for senior citizens, P10 for students and children

Know this The museum is located in front of the Basilica del Sto. Niño, the oldest church in the Philippines, founded by Fr. Andres de Urdaneta during his initial voyage in the 16th century. It was built on the spot where the image of the Santo Niño – said to be the same santo given by Ferdinand Magellan to Juana, the wife of Rajah Humabon – was found by Spanish explorers on a subsequent expedition.

What’s here Some 200 vestments from the 16th century, including the oldest Sto. Niño garment, a red velvet creation with metal flowers. There are century-old books bound in animal skin – usually cow and pig – such as a book of donations, a book of Masses, and the Other Face of Things, and an interesting book of receipts and disbursements from 1733.

More to see Aside from the many images and the different sizes of Sto. Niño, in several apadores there are toys or offerings from devotees in gratitude for answered prayers and petitions, blessings and graces received, and even miracles. It reminded me of several pilgrimage sites for miracle testimonials, such as the grotto in Lourdes, France where the lame leave behind their crutches. Here, they return with gifts, like those displayed by the tomb of San Antonio in Padova, Italy, where believers share their family jewelries and heirlooms.

BPI Museum Cebu

Magallanes street corner

P. Burgos street

Admission by appointment

Know this Found near Magellan’s Cross and fronting the Cebu City Hall, it is divided into two wings on the ground floor of the original Bank of the Philippine Islands building. Its award-winning design was done by Juan Marcos Arellano, who brings his famous aesthetic – best example is the Manila Metropolitan Theater – to a distinctly astute façade held up by three columns. The histories of the Philippines and of BPI, the oldest banking institution in the country, are showcased next to each other.

What’s here A trove of colonial coinage. One area is dedicated to artifacts from 1857 to the pre-war era. The other features collections from the post-war years to the present. Look for Spanish King Carolus III in a 1776 real denomination among the many old coins from the US and the Philippines. There is also a national cash register from 1800, vault doors from 1892, a hall safe from 1895, and a cabinet safe from the 1930s.

More to see Over at the more modern section, the museum presents a reconstructed life-size bank teller cage, the IBM 3624, which is the country’s first ATM installed in 1981 and, yes, even more coins. Search for the P2,000 centennial bank note, which depicts the oath-taking of President Joseph Estrada in Barasoain Church on one side, and a scene from our Independence Day, set by the still-existing house of then-President Emilio Aguinaldo in Kawit, Cavite on its reverse.

Also fascinating is a timeline of the evolution of the credit card, from its first institutional appearance, and later to marketing, sales, and promotional messages that changed the way we spend.

Casa Gorordo Museum

35 Lopez Jaena Street

10 am to 6 pm, Tuesdays to Sundays, closed on Mondays and holidays except when prior arrangements are made

P70 for adults, P40 for local residents, P50 for international college students, P15 for Philippine-based college students, P10 for elementary and high school students upon presentation of school IDs

Know this The casa was the private residence of Alejandro Reynes y Rosales in the 1850s and later purchased by the family of the first Cebuano bishop, Juan Isidro Gorordo. It was acquired and turned into a museum by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation in the late 1980s with a vision to preserve its historical and social significance. It was restored and renovated into its closest original state, making it a pioneer in Cebu’s heritage conservation industry.

What’s here Casa Gorordo shows how things were done in the past, with glimpses of the glittering Parian district. On the ground floor is a zaguan, a storage area with an ensemble of food-processing, weaving, and laundry implements that is typical to native architecture in the 19th century. Here, you can see that the house’s foundation is made of timber and coral stones, set into place by a mixture of lime, sand, and egg whites. The kitchen, originally found in a separate hut, is reconstructed across the dining area, with an abuhan or cooking platform made of soil to make it fire-proof. A grand staircase, a social status symbol of the Gorordos, takes you to the upper floor hallway, where spatial units reflect ceremonious social interactions among the upper class. Ornately carved hanging dividers indicate this, as well as a sala in between the master’s and  ladies’ bedroom so lovers may talk in a visible corner in tune with the conservative values of the time. Photographs and other memorabilia give one a further understanding of these affairs.

More to see An excavation in the property revealed wares that were used in everyday tasks and human remains that shed light on our ancestors’ diet. Outside is an open-roofed baño with large ceramic jars to catch rain water in place of indoor plumbing, which was not available during the house’s construction. From the unusually long tiled terrace or azotea is a sweeping vista of the garden and the neighborhood. On your way out, don’t forget to stop by the souvenir shop and bring with you tokens from this little trip to the past.

University Museum

University of San Carlos, P. Del Rosario Street

8:30 am to noon and 1:30 to 5:30 pm Mondays to Fridays; 8:30 am to noon on Saturdays

P10 for students, P30 for public

Know this Located in a university campus, there could be no more apt venue to learn. Founded by the late Father Rudolf Rahmann, an anthropologist and former president of the university, its gallery is a comprehensive, scientific approach to history

What’s here It is divided into four themes – Spanish colonial, archaeology, ethnography, and biology. In its archaeological gallery are artifacts of the pre-Hispanic Filipinos’ burial practices, which show their belief in life after death as well as artistic ability. Most notable is their famous collection of over 300 Kulaman burial jars found in the Kulaman Plateau in southwest Cotabato dating as far back as 500 AD. Majority of these were unearthed in 1974 by the university’s team composed of faculty and students led by Marcelino Maceda, and sponsored by the Ford Foundation. Unlike most secondary burial jars meant for skeletal remains that are made of clay, these make use of limestone, an abundant resource from the Cotabato rivers. Roof-shaped covers are for women and phallic tops for men.

More to see A fertility figure of a pregnant woman from the Iron Age (circa 1,000 AD) that has been declared by a distinguished group of Asian scholars as one of the cultural treasures of the ASEAN region. Also see the ethnographic gallery of hunting implements, along with exhibited practices such as teeth mutilation and cranial deformation, a map of the ethnolinguistic groups in the Philippines, and a display of rare and endemic Philippine fauna, as well as the endangered and vanishing.

President Sergio Osmeña Memorabilia

60 Osmeña Boulevard

9 am to 5 pm Mondays to Fridays

Admission is free

Know this Sergio Osmeña is the only Cebuano president of the Republic of the Philippines and the oldest president to hold office at age 65. He is known for his work in assisting the battle for independence using passive means as editor of El Nuevo Dia, a famous newspaper in Cebu. The museum is located in his old house which sits on Jones Avenue. Growing up, this house was referred to as the White House of Cebu.

What’s here Memorabilia, such as Osmeña’s bust, personal items like clothes, shoes, hats, eyeglasses, brief case and luggage, as well as documents, paintings, sculpture, books, historical photos, magazines, posters, old newspapers, and stamps.

More to see The most prized items are found on the second floor – his Cadillac, one of the most iconic automobiles in history, and his uniform used in the historical Leyte Landing with General Douglas MacArthur, where the American’s promise to liberate the Philippines from the Japanese forces was made: “I shall return.”

There is also the McArthur room elevator, which holds some of the revered general’s memorabilia, and personal mementos of the late president. It is also interesting to learn that Osmeña studied English under Josephine Bracken, who was also a resident of Cebu.

Museo Sugbo

Cebu Provincial Museum, M.J. Cuenco Street

9:00 am to 5:30 pm, Mondays to Saturdays

P50 for adults, P75 for foreign visitors, P10 for senior citizens, P10 for local students, P50 for foreign students


Know this Its structure reveals that it was once the Carcel del Distrito, the main prison for the Visayas islands. It features a quadrangle – perhaps for inmates’ exercise – and a wishing well, a symbol of hope for freedom. It is said that the huge blocks of coral stones with which it was built in 1871 were remains of the nearby Parian Church when it was demolished.

What’s here A visual buffet of history is found in the permanent galleries: pre-colonial gallery, Spanish colonial, revolution, archeological. There is also a private collection of Visayan santoses ecclesiastical, a journalist gallery dedicated to Cebu media, and spaces devoted to Vicente Rama, the father of the Cebu city charter and a senator of the Philippines, and Gregorio Jovito Abellana, a revolutionary who fought against Spain and a guerilla who resisted the Japanese.

More to see The museum houses the Cebu branch of the National Museum, where you can find artifacts from the diggings of Cebu’s Plaza Independencia and the San Diego shipwreck of the 1600s, and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, which takes a look at Philippine presidents, their lives and their accomplishments.