Nothing else can more accurately tell the rich and noble history of the people of Davao than its Museums. In this page, we feature nine museums, each telling a story of the history, culture, art and craftsmanship of Dabawenyos. And yet each of these museums are unique and astounding on its own, all worth visiting. They are the mirrors to the soul of Davao, a showcase of our rich identity.
MUSEO DABAWENYO
Museo Dabawenyo is a “people’s museum” located in University Ave., Juna Subd., Matina, Davao City. It is one of the divisions under the City Mayor’s Office of the City Government of Davao. The museum is geared towards better historical and cultural awareness, understanding, and integration.
The Museo Dabawenyo building was completed in 2007 and was formally opened on March 14, 2008, during the celebration of Araw ng Dabaw. The museum staff and advisory board are committed to exhibiting the rich historical and cultural heritage of Davao City through the museum’s various galleries.
For those who wish to visit the museum, Museo Dabawenyo is divided into four rooms: Indigenous People’s Gallery, Moro People’s Gallery, Contemporary Gallery, and Memorabilia Gallery.
The first room, the Indigenous People’s Gallery, is a collection of arts, crafts, musical instruments, and weapons created by Davao’s different tribes. The Moro People’s Gallery showcases miniature houses, lamps, boats, tools, weapons, armors, etc., used by the Muslim people in Mindanao.
The third room or the Contemporary Gallery boasts a collection of classic and modern designs from wood carvings to paintings. The last room or the Memorabilia Gallery is a collection of olden day clothes, bills, porcelains, and more.
DAVAO MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND ETHNOGRAPHY
The Davao Museum of History and Ethnography is located at 113 Agusan Circle, Insular Village Phase 1, Lanang, Davao City. As the city’s first ethnographic museum, it showcases the culture of the indigenous peoples of Southern Mindanao. These indigenous tribes, also called Lumads, include the Mandaya, Manobo, Maranao, T’boli, Bagobo, B’laan, and Mansaka.
The museum proudly displays its collection of old maps, trade jars, burial urns, weaponry, jewelry, handicrafts, and more. The place also includes a special section exhibiting the importance of traditional cloth weaving that is, at present, still being practiced.
For those who would like to experience Davao culture and learn more about Southern Mindanao’s rich history, the Davao Museum of History and Ethnography is a must-visit. Among the exciting exhibits to watch out for are:
- A chronological timeline showcasing Davao’s history from the first settlers to current events.
- A diorama of a Bagobo thanksgiving festival.
- A fossilized Taklobo from Samal Island’s Pearl Farm Beach.
THE MALAGOS DAVAO CHOCOLATE MUSEUM
The Malagos Davao Chocolate Museum, as the name suggests, showcases cacao and the chocolate-making process in Southern Mindanao. It is located at the Malagos Garden Resort in Malagos, Baguio District in Calinan, Davao City. It also boasts of being the first chocolate museum in the country.
Aside from its mouthwatering displays, the Malagos Davao Chocolate Museum has interactive cacao and chocolate-related installation, which is divided into four sections: Museum Section, Interactive Zone, Chocolate Bar, and Chocolate Laboratory.
The Museum Section is where visitors can discover the cacao and chocolate-making process’s wonders through audiovisual presentations, audio lectures, and interactive displays. On the other hand, the Interactive Zone is where one can play games with the Malagos Chocolate mascot, Beanie. The third section, The Chocolate Bar, is where one can enjoy various Malagos Chocolate food and drinks. Lastly, the Chocolate Laboratory is where visitors can make their chocolate.
D'BONE COLLECTOR MUSEUM
Darell D. Blatchley founded the D’Bone Collector Museum in 2012. The American Bone Collector and founder opened the museum to educate people to take care of the environment. The collection has over 200 skeletons of preserved remains, skulls, and bones of various animals. Some of the bones were personally collected by Blatchley, while some have been donated to the museum.
This one-of-a-kind museum proudly displays the remains of two rare sperm whales, one of which is a 12.4-meter-long sperm whale. The bones of the sperm whales are among the 47 remains displayed globally and two of only four in the country.
Aside from showcasing impressive remains, D’Bone Collector Museum also serves as an education center for visitors to study and learn about the animal life cycle. The museum preserves dead specimens and participates in the conservation, retrieval, and rescue of marine animals in danger.
Due to this, the museum highly encourages anyone in possession of animal remains, especially scarce bones, to donate them instead of burning or burying them. These rare bones could be used for research to provide valuable information on the animal’s death and possible rare diseases that may have caused it.
IMIN: PHILIPPINE-JAPAN HISTORICAL MUSEUM
The Philippine-Japan Historical Museum, located in Calinan, Davao City, is a museum that tells how the Japanese first came to Davao in 1903. The museum is now dubbed as IMIN, which translates to “migration” in Japanese. IMIN is dedicated to the Iminsha, the Japanese forefathers who helped in the development and progress of Davao City.
As a repository of Japan’s records, the museum features old relics of the Japanese World War 2. Other allied war materials, such as books, pamphlets, pictures, and writings are also displayed. After a significant renovation and enhancement for almost a year, the Philippine-Japan Historical Museum was officially reopened last January 23, 2020.
For those who would like to experience a tour around the newly renovated and more interactive IMIN, the museum is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm every day. Tickets are sold at P100 for adults and P50 for PWD, seniors, and students. Opening times may vary in line with the city’s health protocols for COVID-19.
DAVAO CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL MUSEUM
Davao Central High School Museum is located in Sta. Ana cor. J.P. Laurel Ave., Davao City. It is a school-based museum opened in 2004 to commemorate Davao Central High School’s (DCenHS) 80th founding anniversary. Founded on June 3, 1924, DCenHS has been open for almost a century and is now one of the major basic education institutions in Davao City.
Formerly known as Davao Chinese High School, DCenHS prides itself on its dual-language curriculum of Chinese and English. It is also built on a strong credibility known as the hallmark of quality Filipino-Chinese Education in Southern Mindanao with cutting edges in Chinese, English, Filipino, Mathematics, and Sciences.
Although the school humbly started with only two rented classrooms with 30 students, it now showcases its own museum. The Davao Central High school Museum was planned by Chin Bon Lu, an arts-oriented businessman, and alumnus of the institution. With Lu’s research of the school history, one of the DCenHS classrooms was converted into a gallery that displayed its history in almost nine decades, from 1924 to 2004.
THE LIVING HERITAGE CENTER OF PHILIPPINES INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
The Living Heritage Center of Philippines Indigenous People is a school-based museum located at the Pamulaan Center for Indigenous Peoples Education in Davao City. This unique school is found on the University of Southeastern Philippines—Mintal Campus.
Pamulaan is the first institution in the Philippines to offer a focused tertiary education for IPs. Its main goal is to create culturally appropriate and relevant training and formation pathways for indigenous children, youth, community leaders, and development workers. It aims to produce graduates with knowledge and skills to initiate action toward the sustainable development of IP communities.
The word Pamulaan is a Lumad-Matigsalog term that means “seedbed.” According to its founder Benjamin Abadiano of Assisi Foundation, the term is used to stress the program’s commitment to root the students’ development in the realities of their life and culture. Its in-campus museum also shows this commitment by including stories of past and present indigenous communities’ leaders. The museum’s assigned tour guides are students of indigenous ethnicity who have firsthand experience with their traditions.
SAN PEDRO CATHEDRAL MEMORABILIA
The San Pedro Cathedral Memorabilia Museum was established by Fr. Paul DC Cunanan in 1986, which occupied the San Pedro Cathedral’s belfry. The museum is currently located in San Pedro Cathedral Compound, Davao City.
The San Pedro Cathedral is the oldest church in Davao City and is a recognized National Cultural Treasure. The cathedral is known for its unique architecture, designed by Architect Manuel Chiew in 1964. Its distinctly modern curved structure is designed to look like the prow of a “vinta,” a traditional boat of Mindanao with sails that incorporate the Muslim community’s colors. The Christian cross on top of the design represents the convergence of religions in Mindanao.
With so much history to tell, the San Pedro Cathedral Memorabilia was officially opened in 2007. Various groups, including the Archdiocese Commission on Church Heritage, helped in preparing the space to showcase the beauty of the memorabilia.
ARCH. ANTONIO MABUTAS MEMORABILIA
The Arch. Antonio Mabutas Memorabilia is the house previously occupied by Msgr. Antonio Lloren Mabutas during the last two years of his life. Archbishop Mabutas was the first bishop of Diocese of Laoag and the second Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Davao. He was also the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines from 1981 to 1985. Before becoming the Archbishop of Davao, he was appointed as coadjutor archbishop of Davao. Arch. Mabutas also served as titular Archbishop of Valeria on July 25, 1970.
When it comes to his service in Mindanao, Arch. Mabutas was noted for being the first pastor to write against Marcos’ martial law administration. His pastoral letter titled “Reign of Terror in the Countryside” cited human rights abuses and killings of church workers. Even after his passing, the Archbishop’s works, awards, personal daily journals, and religious possessions are displayed in the memorabilia as a reminder of his devotion not only to the Lord but also to the people of Davao.
KABILIN MFAMSC
The KABILIN Mindanao Folk Arts Museum Studies Center (MFAMSC) is a museum that aims to educate the visitors on bridging understanding of the beautiful cultural heritage of Mindanao and its multi-cultural diversity. It was initially opened in July 1957 at Fraternidad Gonzales Hall when a group of Humanities students, faculty, and alumnae exhibited indigenous art forms and folkways of ethnic groups in Mindanao. The museum was previously called the Mindanao Folks Arts Center (MFAC).
In September 1958, MFAC garnered more priceless collections of Muslim Artifacts during the Philippine Women’s College of Davao inauguration. Some of the artifacts were gathered by Isabel A. Santos, a faculty member of both PWU Manila and PWC of Davao, Dr. Helena Z. Benitez, former Philippine Senator and PWU-PWC Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, Lucrecia R. Urtula, Isabel Santos, and some Bayanihan Dance Troupe Staff.
Since its initial opening, the museum has continually developed. It now boasts of its Center for Innovation and Social Ventures (CISV), which contextualizes culture, heritage, and identity among contemporary sustainable and inclusive initiatives.
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COLLABORATORS CORNER
Get in touch
Contact
Tambayayong Dabawenyo Virtual Festival
PWC Kabilin Center
Mindanao Folk Arts Museum and Studies Center
Artisan Heritage Studied and Creative Enterprise Center
Philippine Women’s College of Davao
University Ave., Juna Subd., Matina,
Davao City, 8000
Davao del Sur, Philippines
Phone: (082) 297 – 8035 local 171
Email: yayong.dvo@gmail.com | kabilinmuseum@pwc.edu.ph
