Museums in Vigan City: Exploring the City’s Rich Heritage

Vigan City is renowned for its well-preserved Spanish colonial architecture and rich cultural heritage. Apart from its famous Calle Crisologo, the city is home to several fascinating museums. They offer insights into the history, arts, and traditions of the city. Most of these museums in Vigan City are housed in centuries-old ancestral houses. This allows you to immerse yourself in the city’s history as you journey back in time.

Museum hopping is one of the best things to do in Vigan. In this article, we are exploring some of the must-visit museums in Vigan City for an immersive museum-hopping experience.

Crisologo Memorabilia Museum

The Crisologo Museum is housed in a heritage house that belonged to the prominent Crisologo family. Primarily, the museum provides insights into the life and accomplishments of Floro Crisologo. Unbeknownst to many, he was a prominent statesman, serving as the province’s congressman for three terms. He was assassinated by an unknown gunman in 1970 while he was inside the Vigan Metropolitan Cathedral.

The museum houses all mementos from that fateful day. In addition, it features memorabilia that immortalizes his legacy to the Ilocano people. Floro Crisologo authored the law, creating the University of Northern Philippines. He also authored the Social Security Act of 1954, paving the establishment of the Social Security System.

Visitors can explore the various rooms filled with Crisologo family memorabilia. You can also see antique furniture and other historical artifacts that the family owns.

Syquia Mansion

The Syquia Mansion offers a captivating journey into the life of President Elpidio Quirino, the sixth President of the Philippines. This was the ancestral home of the Syquia family, Quirino’s in-laws, and prominent Ilocanos. Hence, you can see the heirlooms, vintage photographs, and artifacts that belong to the family.

The museum also highlights President Quirino’s contributions to the nation, making it a significant historical landmark in Vigan. As a matter of fact, there is a section in the mansion that provides a glimpse into the president’s life and the era in which he lived.

The mansion has guided tours that provide you with more context about the different artifacts you can find there. A tour around the mansion would give you a glimpse into the high-society lifestyle of Bigueños in the 19th and 20th centuries.

At the time of writing, it is still not open to tourists due to the damages that the July 2022 earthquake caused to the mansion.

National Museum Ilocos Regional Museum Complex

The National Museum of the Philippines Ilocos Complex is a museum complex consisting of three historic buildings within Ilocos Sur. You can find two of these buildings within Vigan – the Old Carcel Museum and the Burgos Museum. You can find the third building, the Magsingal Museum, in Magsingal, a town north of Vigan.

The complex showcases the rich culture and history of Ilocos Sur. The Burgos Museum, in particular, displays objects and artifacts that Father Jose Burgos once used. On the other hand, the Old Carcel Museum displays some memorabilia of former Philippine president Elpidio Quirino.

Father Jose Burgos Museum

The Burgos Museum pays tribute to the life and martyrdom of Father Jose Burgos, one of the three Filipino priests collectively known as Gomburza. As a matter of fact, this ancestral house that houses the museum was the birthplace of Burgos.

The museum provides an intimate look into the life and legacy of Padre Burgos, featuring personal belongings, historical documents, and photographs that help visitors gain a deeper understanding of his contributions to Philippine history.

Furthermore, the museum also has a section showcasing the inabel textile. Visitors would get a comprehensive look at the production of inabel, different types of inabel, and places that weave inabel, among others.

Old Carcel Museum

Adjacent to the Burgos Museum is the Old Carcel Museum. The Old Carcel Museum is a centuries-old establishment that originally served as the provincial jail until 2014 after the transfer of inmates to the new provincial penitentiary. President Elpidio Quirino was born in this building in 1890 while his father was a warden.

Fun fact, I was still able to visit this place as part of our community service back when it was still the provincial jail. So it’s still a strange feeling to explore the museum now.

The Old Carcel Museum offers a comprehensive exploration of the cultural and natural heritage of the Ilocos region. It boasts exhibits on archaeology, ethnography, fine arts, and natural history. Visitors can admire ancient pottery, traditional textiles, archaeological artifacts, and other significant cultural and historical pieces that showcase the richness and diversity of the Ilocos region.

There is also an area that displays heirlooms and memorabilia of President Quirino. However, I think that the most important display at the museum is Esteban Pichay Villanueva’s 14 paintings depicting the Basi Revolt of 1807. There are also artist exhibits that take place every now and then, so that is also worth noting.

Vigan City Museum at the Vigan Conservation Complex

The Vigan City Museum is a part of the Vigan Conservation Complex, showcasing the city’s rich history and cultural heritage. Located in Brgy. San Julian Sur, the museum is divided into various parts, each showcasing different aspects of Vigan, its people, and its history. It is not located within Calle Crisologo. Hence, you have to ride a tricycle to go to the complex. If you have a private car, it would take you a meager five minutes to reach the museum.

Hotel Luna

The Hotel Luna is the first museum hotel in the Philippines. This four-star hotel stands on what originally was a two-story structure that was built in 1882.

This museum hotel houses several artworks by prominent artists in the country, including Juan Luna, Guillermo Tolentino, and Carlos “Botong” Francisco. Upon entry inside the hotel, you can already see these artworks hung on its walls. Exploring the corridors and lobbies of the hotel would allow you to see other art pieces.

Hotel Luna features luxurious rooms, a swimming pool, a comedor where you can enjoy Ilocano cuisine, and a rooftop bar overlooking Vigan.

Arzobispado Palacio de Nueva Segovia

The Arzobispado Palacio de Nueva Segovia is the official residence of the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia. However, it also houses the Museo Nueva Segovia. The museum serves as a repository of antique portraits of bishops, ecclesiastical artifacts, and other archdiocesan articles.

I have only entered the Museo Nueva Segovia once, so things might be a little vague on my end. But the Arzobispado itself is an artifact with a rich history on itself. The seat of the archdiocese was originally established in modern-day Lal-lo, Cagayan, in 1595. However, at the request of Bishop Juan de la Fuente, the see of the archdiocese moved to Vigan in 1758. The current building was erected in 1783. As a matter of fact, the palasyo (as the locals call it) is the only surviving 18th-century arzobispado in the country.

According to the marker outside the palace, revolutionists occupied the establishment in 1896 when they imprisoned Bishop Jose Hevia Campomanes. It also became the refuge of Emilio Aguinaldo when he came to Vigan in 1898. At the moment, the museum is closed due to the damages it incurred during the 2021 earthquake.

Safari Gallery

While primarily known as an interactive zoological park, the Baluarte Zoo also houses a gallery that showcases the private collection of former Governor Luis “Chavit” Singson. The Safari Gallery exhibits various artifacts, photographs, and taxidermied animals from around the world.

After meeting the animals around Baluarte Zoo, visitors can explore the diverse collection atop a hill. You can opt to walk to the Safari Gallery while enjoying the zoological attractions. However, you can also ride on carts if you want.

Wrapping Up

Museum-hopping in Vigan is a journey through time, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the city’s history, culture, and significant figures. Each museum offers a unique perspective and showcases the remarkable heritage of Vigan. Whether exploring the personal legacies of influential families or delving into the nation’s historical movements, these museums provide a comprehensive understanding of Vigan’s role in shaping Philippine history.