A Trip Through Philippine History: Museo de Intramuros and Casa Manila Museum

Records of our Philippine heritage within arms reach at Museo de Intramuros and Casa Manila Museum

Fully understanding our Philippine history and culture entails exploring every piece of it. You can’t play favorites, even against moments you’d rather do without. While the Spanish Colonization wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, this remains central to what makes us Filipinos. It’s part of our history after all – and that includes all the good and the bad that come with it.

Important pieces of this past lie preserved within the famed walled city of Intramuros. Take a trip down the history books for your ‘Maria Clara at Ibarra’ moment by visiting the Museo de Intramuros and the Casa Manila Museum.

Museo de Intramuros

Within Museo de Intramuros lies records detailing the country’s ecclesiastical heritage. In particular, the displayed pieces, sculptures, and works explore the Philippines’ process of evangelization. That is, how the Spanish found common ground with us Filipinos and passed on their faith through art. The exhibit showcases how art during that period developed alongside the growing influence of Catholicism.

Museo de Intramuros is comprised of the San Ignacio Church and the Mission House of the Society of Jesus. The church was built in 1889 but was destroyed in the Second World War alongside neighboring structures. After years of restoration efforts, the complex was finally opened in 2019 to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the Intramuros Administration.

The museum is located at Arzobispo, Anda St., Intramuros, Manila.

Casa Manila Museum

The Casa Manila Museum, also known as the “Manila House” showcases the likely lifestyle of a prosperous family from the Spanish colonial period. A living museum, Casa Manila places exposed artifacts on display without barriers or protection to simulate the era as accurately as possible. According to the Intramuros Administration, the structure’s facade “was patterned after a house that once stood at Jaboneros Street in the Chinese district of Binondo in the 1850’s.”

The museum is located at Plaza San Luis Complex, General Luna cor. Real Sts., Intramuros, Manila

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Klook Philippines recently unveiled the Klook Intramuros Pass.

In partnership with the Intramuros Administration, the Klook Intramuros Pass features top attractions of the iconic walled city that will allow tourists to customize their own experience of Philippine History. Included in the pass are Fort Santiago, Baluarte de San Diego, Casa Manila Museum, Museo de Intramuros, Heirloom Filipiniana and Barong Rental, BamBike Tour, and the White Knight Electric Chariot Tour.

“At Klook, we believe that immersing ourselves in culture plays a part in our pursuit of our own definition of joy. Beyond its leisurely benefits, travel has the power to connect us to our roots, allowing us to delve deeper into the story of our ancestors, ultimately fostering a sense of national pride,” Michelle Ho, General Manager of Klook Philippines and Thailand shared. 

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