Here’s how you can appreciate the City of Pines even more.
Image: Yoorekka
Baguio City is the Summer Capital of the Philippines because of its scenic tourist spots that easily capture the hearts of locals and tourists. Aside from lush parks and breathtaking sites, you can also visit museums and art galleries in Baguio that showcase the arts and culture of the province and its indigenous peoples.
Many museums in Baguio can help anyone learn about the city’s history and tradition. From life-sized statues to actual artifacts, the exhibits in the museums in Baguio will surely enhance anyone’s interest in discovering the province’s magnificent heritage. Read and find out what they are so you can jot them down for your next art trip in the north this holiday season!
1. BenCab Museum
Location: Km. 6 Asin Road, Tadiangan, Baguio City
Operating Hours:
Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Closed on Monday, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day
Besides artworks, visitors can also savor the lovely greenery outside BenCab Museum.
Images: BenCab Museum (L); Yoorekka (R)
The BenCab Museum is one of the best tourist spots in Baguio, containing the artworks of the country’s National Artist for Visual Arts, Benedicto Cabrera, also known as BenCab. His works depict the Philippines’ ethnographic culture and highlight the Cordilleran indigenous arts and crafts. His artworks and pieces of other Filipino masters and rising contemporary artists are displayed in the place. The BenCab Museum promotes the culture and tradition of the Cordilleran tribe and its preservation.
For inquiries, contact BenCab at these numbers: 074 442 7165 / 0920 5301954 / 0917 3201347. To catch their latest updates, you may follow them on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/bencabmuseum/.
2. Baguio Museum
Location: Dot-PTA Complex, Gov. Pack Rd, Baguio City
Operating Hours:
Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Closed on Monday
Baguio Museum doesn’t just exhibit the history of Baguio City but of the entire country as well.
Images: Baguio Museum Incorporated Facebook page
If there’s a place where you can learn more about Baguio City’s history, culture, and heritage, it’s no other than Baguio Museum. The museum has been standing for over 40 years, for it was first opened to the public in 1977. Its structure was inspired by Ifugao architecture, with walls made of stone and wood, a pyramid roof, and two concrete poles at the entrance. Baguio Museum has four galleries, all featuring exhibits that highlight Cordillera’s ethnolinguistic culture and the historical development of Baguio City from the 1900s to the present.
To catch their latest updates, you may follow Baguio Museum on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/baguiomuseum/.
3. Arca’s Yard
Location: 888 Tip-Top, Ambuclao Road, Benguet
Operating Hours:
Monday to Tuesday, Thursday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Closed on Wednesday
Immerse yourself in the Igorot culture by visiting the antique furniture at Arca’s Yard.
Images: Arca’s Yard Facebook page
Arca’s Yard isn’t just an art gallery spot where you can treat your eyes and a place for a cozy gastronomical adventure. It is a museum, restaurant, library, and bed-and-breakfast accommodation. Arca’s Yard contains many photographs, books, paintings, antique furniture, and artifacts by the Cordillerans. Here, you can appreciate the uniqueness of the Igorot culture in the museum and satisfy your tummy with hearty meals like kinds of pasta, pieces of bread, pies, salads, and refreshments at the resto.
To catch their latest updates, you may follow Arca’s Yard on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/arcasyard/.
4. Tam-awan Village
Location: 367 Long Long Benguet Rd, Baguio City
Operating Hours: Daily, 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Get a unique encounter with Kalinga culture at Tam-awan Village.
Images: Tam-awan Village Facebook page
Seated on the outskirts of the Summer Capital of the Philippines is Tam-awan Village, a reconstructed Cordilleran village transformed into an open-air museum and coffee shop. It is home to Ifugao and Kalinga huts, which are already a hundred years old, with the Annaba Hut being the oldest. At Tam-awan Village, you can hike the museum’s footpath on the hillside, stay in the huts, let village residents draw your portrait, and eat meals made of homegrown ingredients. The village will surely give you a one-of-a-kind encounter with Ifugao and Kalinga culture.
To catch their latest updates, you may follow Tam-awan Village on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/TamawanOfficial/.
5. Museo Kordilyera
Location: 30 Gov. Pack Rd, Baguio, 2602 Benguet
Get a chance to see vibrant artworks by the Cordillerans.
Images: Yoorekka
Another ethnographic museum in Baguio that showcases the rich culture and history of the Cordillerans is the Museo Kordilyera—the three-story museum is located inside the University of the Philippines-Baguio. It was first opened to the public in January 2019 and is deemed the first ethnographic museum in the northern part of the country. The place houses collections of unique Cordillera artifacts representing its people, culture, and tradition. You can see various exhibits like paintings, wood carvings, and ethnographic photographs here. Due to the pandemic, the museum is closed, but follow its social media account to get updated!
September 2022 Update: Museo Kordilyera is temporarily closed due to renovation but conducts online workshops and webinars. Explore Museo Kordilyera’s 3D virtual space at this website: https://museokordilyera.upb.edu.ph/museo-kordilyera-3d-virtual-museum/. You may also follow them on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/upbmuseokordilyera/,to catch their latest updates.
These are only some of Baguio’s must-visit museums. Don’t forget to list them for your next museum-hopping trip this holiday season!
Discover more spots in Baguio where you can soak up the city’s art and culture at Yoorekka Magazine!
This article was initially published in Yoorekka on October 21, 2020.
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