Museo de Baler Tells ABout Aurora’s History

Planning a trip? Those who love to travel know the essence of all travel is about you and your enjoyment. Travelers know that the destination is a major part of planning a trip, experiencing and delving deeper into unfamiliar places, people and culture are paramount.

Expand your horizons and set your sight to the Philippines, an off the beaten path travel site! An undiscovered paradise made of thousands of islands and white sand beaches all around! A tiny dot in the map of the world, and yet a haven for travelers, backpackers, retirees and even passersby.

It offers awesome tourist attractions, magnificent beaches, hot spring resorts, colorful festivals, hundreds of scenic spots and world-class hotels and facilities. Not to mention the tropical climate, the affordable prices as well as the friendly and hospitable, English-speaking people! You will be glad you came, and we’re sure, you WILL come back for more FUN in the Philippines!

MUSEO DE BALER

Photo from: http://www.katalinarosario.com/2016/03/baler-2015-4-museo-de-baler-aurora.html

This museum displays artifacts and paintings about the history of Aurora, exhibits on the ethnic groups Dumagat and Ilongot, and photos and memorabilia of native son Manuel L. Quezon, second Philippine president. There is a section regarding the Siege of Baler, with some film props from the local film “Baler.”

Baler was the Spaniards’ last stand during the Philippine Revolution of 1898. Some 50-odd Spanish troops held out in Baler Church during a year-long siege and refused to surrender, not knowing (or believing) that the war has ended. The Spanish government hailed the soldiers as heroes, while Philippine president Emilio Aguinaldo commended them for their valor and granted them safe passage to repatriate. The Filipinos hailed Aguinaldo for this honorable action.*
Admission: FREE
Hours:
Address: Poblacion, Baler, Aurora

Photo from: https://outoftownblog.com/travel-guide-baler-heritage-walk/museo-de-baler/

The town museum, imaginatively called Museo de Baler, is right in the town center. Housed in a two-story rust-colored building, the museum is adorned with a mural on its facade that gave a preview of the town’s colorful history, dating back from the 17th century to the present.

The first section is an exhibit that gave tribute to the contributions of the Franciscan friars who came to town as missionaries in 1609. On exhibit are centuries-old books and other memorabilia from the mission over the years, such as prayer books, letters, and other documents, like population registries of the Aeta aborigines who lived in the vicinity.

Items from the old churches were also displayed, such as old bells, and items used in the celebration of the mass. Within these exhibits are memorabilia collected from the production of a (Philippine) movie that uses the town as a setting. Read More: http://www.boardinggate101.com/2013/10/museo-de-baler.html

Photo from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jkbeltran/8588966650

Our visit fell on a Sunday so the museum was unfortunately, closed. I heard that the museum had some genuine relics on display, such as the original bells of the old Baler Church and a human skeleton found in a prehistoric burial site plus recent additions such as the materials, costumes and props used in the filming of the movie, Baler, starring Jericho Rosales and Anne Curtis.

On the facade of the Museo de Baler building is a set of murals aptly called as the “Baler Historical Mural”. These murals depict the more-than-400 years of the Philippines under Spanish colonization, from their arrival until the Siege of Baler, “Los Ultimos Filipinas” (or the Last of the Philippines), where Spanish soldiers defended and protected the Baler Church for at least a year after the Spaniards have turned over the Philippines to the Americans. Also seen on the mural are images depicting progress and development in Baler and in other towns of Aurora. Read More: http://libotero.com/quezon-park-museo-de-baler-aurora/