Make the Most of Your Rainy Day Trip in These Indoor Cultural Spots in Ilocos

Location: Jose Rizal Street corner Juan Luna Street, Barangay 2, Badoc, Ilocos Norte

Operating Hours: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Entrance Fee: None

The Luna brothers helped tremendously in shaping the Philippines’ history. They played a vital role in the fight for Philippine independence during Spanish colonial. If you’re curious about their life, the Juan and Antonio Luna Museum is our first on the list of indoor cultural spots in Ilocos that is worthy of a visit.

This indoor cultural spot in Ilocos is one of the must places to visit in Ilocos. The museum has six galleries: Life and Career of Juan Luna, Juan’s Studio in Paris, Life and Career of Antonio Luna, The Luna Home in the 19th Century, Antonio’s Letter to Conchita Castillo, and Trench Warfare. Each gallery of this tourist destination in Ilocos features preserved memorabilia that the two heroes have used during significant times in their lives.

Location: Burgos St, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur

Padre Burgos House is the next indoor cultural spot in Ilocos; it is a museum filled with the rich history of Vigan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The museum is the ancestral house and birthplace of its namesake, Fr. Jose Burgos—a Roman Catholic priest who stood up for the reform of Spanish rule in the Philippines.

Visitors can see the collections of old books, historical records, liturgical displays, antique furniture, oil paintings, dioramas, and ceramics from the 1800s at this tourist destination in Ilocos. Along with these collections at this indoor cultural spot in Ilocos, the house also features various Ilocano artifacts like pag-ablan (wooden loom), gansa (brass gong), kalasag (shield), and more Iloco-Kankanay-Itneg material culture.

Location: Burgos St. 2700, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur

Entrance Fee: None

The Vigan Cathedral is one of the significant religious landmarks in Northern Luzon and one of the indoor cultural spots and places to visit in Ilocos. The church is famous for its Baroque, which means irregularly shaped, style architecture made to withstand earthquakes. However, what makes the Vigan Cathedral a religious landmark are its embellishments: the silver-paneled main altars, three naves, and brass handrails.

Not only do these features become the tourist destination in Ilocos’ historical element, but they also give an elegant touch to the church’s interior. If you still don’t know what place to visit in Ilocos, add this indoor cultural spot in Ilocos to your itinerary.

Location: Brgy. Pagburnayan, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur

Operating Hours: Daily; 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Entrance Fee: Free

Vigan locals have been practicing clay pottery, known as burnay jars, as artwork for 90 years. Locals used burnay jars to store grains and water and ferment wine and bagoong (fermented fish). Once inside the factory of this indoor cultural spot in Ilocos, hundreds of clay jars in different shapes and sizes will welcome you. The best part is that you can also try to create your clay jars and take them home for free! But visitors’ donations are greatly appreciated to help the artisans at this tourist destination in Ilocos.

Location: Quirino Blvd. corner Salcedo St. Vigan City, Ilocos Sur

Last on our list of indoor cultural spots in Ilocos is Located in Vigan City, the Syquia Mansion operates as a museum that withstood the test of time. The mansion was built during the Spanish colonial era and is recognized as one of Vigan’s oldest bahay na bato (stone houses). It was entirely made of stone and bricks using traditional building materials in 1835. Since it’s a unique remnant of Philippine history, this tourist destination in Ilocos was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Upon visit at this indoor cultural spot in Ilocos, you can see various furniture and architectural designs that combine Filipino, Chinese, and Spanish influences. The three artworks of the National Artist for Painting Fernando Amorsolo are also located in the museum.

April 2023 Update: Syquia Mansion Museum is temporarily closed for restoration. But don’t worry! See the National Museum of the Philippines Ilocos Regional Complex, offering a free entrance fee for possible replacement.

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