Padre Jose Burgos National Museum

In Vigan City, there are lots of museums that are preserved to bring back the memory of Vigan’s religious past and rich history.

Museo San Pablo

Museo San Pablo is located just right behind the Saint Paul Cathedral in Vigan City. The museum is open every day except Thursdays. If you are going to visit in big groups, it is better to make an arrangement to the management before the tour for preparations.

Museo de San Juan Bautista

Museo de San Juan Bautista is located in San Juan, Ilocos Sur at the ground floor of the parish convent. The museum is a repository of Lapog's history. The museum showcases the history of Lapogueños and their antique materials and other personal things.

Museo Nueva Segovia

Museo Nueva Segovia is located near the Saint Paul Cathedral and Plaza Salcedo. It is actually the museum of the Arzobispado or the Archbishop’s Palace. It is where the Archbishop of Nueva Segovia officially resides. Inside the museum is the exhibit of archdiocesan archives and manuscripts. There are also displays of bishop’s antique portraits and pictures of ancient Baroque churches.

Magsingal National Museum

The Magsingal National Branch Museum or the Museum of Ilocano Culture and Artifacts is a Philippine museum located 12.3 kilometers in the town of Magsingal, Vigan. The Magsingal Museum was formerly a convent of Spanish architecture built in 1676, and restored and transformed into a museum in October 1982. It displays an ethnographic collection on the material culture and liturgical artifacts of the entire Ilocos Region. It is one of the branches of the National Museum of the Philippines and it is housed in the rectory of an old Spanish brick church in Magsingal, Ilocos Sur.

Padre Jose Burgos National Museum

One notable historical structures of Vigan is the Padre Burgos Museum, an ancestral house and birthplace of priest patriot Fr. Jose Burgos. It highlights the memorabilia of the martyr-priest as well as Ilocano artifacts and ethnic arts of the Tinggians.

Crisologo Museum

Crisologo Museum is one of the notable landmarks in Vigan City consisting of the preserved ancestral home of statesman Floro S. Crisologo. It features the family’s memorabilia and private collection of religious figures as well as some permanent exhibits that have to do with Northern Luzon’s history, ethnography, archeology, and natural history. It is being managed by the Crisologo Family, a political clan, along with the National Historical Institute under the auspices of the National Museum of the Philippines.

Ayala Museum

Another museum that preserves the rich history of Ilocano is the Ayala Museum. It showcases Ilocano artifacts, weapons, kitchen utensils, basketry, costumes, jewelry, and Burgos Memorabilia. There are also some dioramas showing important events in the history of Ilocos Sur, plus a small library.

Great Tips and Trips to Vigan!

From Manila, there are various bus terminals to choose from that go to Ilocos. There is one in Edsa-Pasay (Partas Bus Terminal) and in Cubao (Partas Bus Terminal & Florida Bus Terminal). I suggest you take the evening trip because it is a long 9-hour bus ride to Vigan.

Then from Vigan, I suggest you hire private transportation as the must-see places are in between towns. But there are tricyles, buses and mini-buses that ply these towns which will bring you to the city proper.

Accommodations to Vigan: There are many inns, pension houses, and hotels located near the town center. My Vigan Home Hotel and Gordion Hotel are some of which will give you better accommodations during your days in Ilocos Sur.

My Vigan Home Hotel is located at 14 Plaridel corner Bonifacio Streets, Vigan (Ilocos Sur), Ilocos Region, Philippines 2700. Gordion Hotel is located at V. Delos Reyes corner Salcedo Sts., Vigan (Ilocos Sur), Ilocos Region, Philippines.