Learn about the province’s past through these institutions!
Images: The Negros Museum Facebook page
Bacolod City has a rich and vibrant history back to the pre-colonial period. The city’s effort to keep up with fast-paced urbanization lies in its strong will to preserve its bountiful museums where you can still visit and relive Bacolod’s cultural inheritance on display. Many museums are more than willing to share their stories if you want to see what the city went through up close.
Read on as Yoorekka shows you the list of museums in Bacolod City perfect for your next side trip to the city.
1. Negros Museum
Location: Gatuslao St. Bacolod City
Operating Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
The newly refurbished Negros Museum
Image: The Negros Museum Facebook page
Negros Museum is a neoclassical structure that houses some of the most important cultural artifacts. In fact, it is the very first museum built in the Philippines that also houses contemporary works of local artists that retell a series of events that occurred in the past. Negros Museum is just a three-minute stroll from the Provincial Capitol Building near 888 Chinatown Square Bacolod, making it hard not to spot. There is also a café inside the museum, making it an ideal place for tourists who want to take a break in the middle of their historical excursion.
2. Balay Negrense Museum
Location: Barangay 3, Cinco De Noviembre Street, Silay City
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM
A beautiful morning shines over Balay Negrense Museum
Image: Dai Sy T. Ale
The Don Victor Gaston Ancestral House, more famously known as Balay Negrense Museum, is a museum that showcases the lifestyle of the Negrense sugar baron during the 19th Century. Formerly owned by Victor Gaston, the son of Yves Leopold German Gaston, who brought the sugar industry in Negros into life, the ancestral house has become one of the most visited museums in the province. The museum is just a 25-minute drive from Bacolod City proper.
3. Museo Negrense De La Salle
Location: University of St. La Salle, Bacolod City
Operating Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Some of the artifacts you will see inside Museo Negrense de La Salle
Image: Museo De La Salle Bacolod Facebook page
Museo Negrense De La Salle is a museum located inside the University of St. La Salle campus. The museum was developed through generous donations from primarily Negrense families and is connected with the institution. The museum houses various pieces of historical artifacts and treasured relics and allows local artists in the region to hold exhibits within its walls. The different collections inside the museum include the Ledesma Collection, Vega Collection, Esteban Collection, Velayo-Javelosa Collection, and the Puentevella Collection. Since the museum is inside the campus, it is recommended that visitors make a reservation first before paying a visit.
4. Bernardino Jalandoni Museum
Location: Brgy. II, Rizal St, Silay City
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
The stunning and eye-catching façade of Bernardino Jalandoni Museum
Image: Bernandino Jalandoni Museum Facebook page
The Bernardino Jalandoni Museum, famously known as Pink House, is one of the ancestral and heritage houses in Silay City that was converted into a museum. It is a two-story building based on local Filipino and European architecture. The museum is known for its ceiling made of embossed steel trays from Hamburg, Germany, which was considered exceptional during the period it was built. The museum houses cultural artifacts and serves as a venue for cultural and educational activities in Silay City. You definitely wouldn’t miss the museum since it stands on the main highway in Silay City.
5. Laguerta Home Of The Vintage Glasses Museum
Location: Brgy. Sum-ag, Bacolod City
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM
The inviting facade of Laguerta Home of the Vintage Glasses Museum
Image: Joe Louvières Castro Cenizal
Laguerta Home of the Vintage Glasses Museum is a humble museum in Bacolod City owned by Tomas Claridad Casiano, a former florist in Beverly Hills, California. He came home to Bacolod City for good and built his own museum called "Laguerta." The museum houses displays of decorative glasses, from plates and bowls to drinking glasses and mugs. It is filled with different pieces of glass art of various sizes, shapes, and colors, which is very pleasing to the eye. It is recommended to check with the museum first or make a reservation before going.
6. Hofilena Heritage House
Location: Cinco De Noviembre Street, Silay City
Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
A beautiful afternoon at Hofilena Heritage House
Image: Lara Trinidad
Hofilena Heritage House is another museum in Silay City that reflects Art Deco and Art Nouveau architecture. Opened in 1951, it is the first museum in Silay City. It houses paintings of famous local artists from the Philippines like Manansala, Hechanova, Luna, Amorsolo, Rizal, etc. Inside the museum is also the world’s smallest doll, which the Hofilenas are very proud to have. This is one of the must-see museums in the province because of the surprise that tourists will see on the museum’s second floor. Let’s preserve the element of surprise until you see it for yourself!
7. Balay ni Tana Dicang
Location: Enrique Lizares St, Talisay City
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
The stunning interiors of Balay ni Tana Dicang which is perfect for people with an old soul
Image: Balay ni Tana Dicang
Balay ni Tana Dicang is the oldest surviving house in the province of Negros Occidental and one that is genuinely well-preserved. This is the main ancestral house of the Lizares family, one of the most influential sugar barons in the province. Balay ni Tana Dicang literally means “House of Kapitana Dicang,” the name by which Mrs. Lizares was known. This museum is just a 20-minute drive from Bacolod City. The museum appears to be closed all the time, so you need to knock as hard as you can to get the attention of the housekeepers and let them know of your interest in entering the heritage structure.
Visit Yoorekka Magazine for more exciting travel destinations in Bacolod!
Stay safe as you travel! Make sure to follow social distancing protocols and observe health precautions. Have a great trip!
This article was originally published in Yoorekka on May 08, 2018.
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