National Museum Western Visayas

National Museum Western Visayas
Iloilo Provincial Jail as a museum in 2024
Map
Established2017 (2017)
LocationIloilo Provincial Jail and Old Jaro Municipal Hall buildings, Iloilo City, Philippines
Coordinates10°42′11.6″N 122°34′7.56″E / 10.703222°N 122.5687667°E / 10.703222; 122.5687667
TypeRegional museum
OwnerNational Museum of the Philippines
Building details
Alternative namesIloilo Provincial Jail
Iloilo Rehabilitation Center
General information
Current tenantsNational Museum Western Visayas
Inaugurated1911
Renovated2016
OwnerNational Museum of the Philippines
Design and construction
Architect(s)William E. Parsons

The National Museum (NM) Western Visayas Regional Museum, simply known as the National Museum Western Visayas, is a museum in Iloilo City, Philippines.

The museum is housed in the old Iloilo Provincial Jail building, also known as Iloilo Rehabilitation Center, which was built in 1911 and served as the provincial jail of the province until 2006. It is located within the Iloilo Provincial Capitol Complex in Iloilo City Proper.

History

Iloilo Provincial Jail as a rehabilitation center, 2012

The National Museum Western Visayas is housed in the Iloilo Provincial Jail which was built in 1911 and used until its abandonment in the 2000s, after a replacement facility was built in 2006.[1] Its satellite office would be at the Old Jaro Municipal Hall which was given to the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) in 2014[2] along with the jail building.[3]

The old prison building was converted into a museum by Lim Construction and Trading, a process which began in 2016. A dome structure was added.[1] In February 2017, the NMP Western Visayas satellite office was established after the renovated Old Jaro Municipal Hall was inaugurated.[2]

In April 11, 2018, a turnover ceremony of the renovated ex-prison building to the NMP was held and the museum was inaugurated as the National Museum Western Visayas.[4]

Galleries and collections

The museum has five galleries on its lower floor and an open gallery on its second floor. It houses artifacts from different parts of the Western Visayas region.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b "Iloilo's century-old jail is PH's important cultural property". Philippine News Agency. April 12, 2018. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "National Museum puts up WV satellite office". Panay News. February 18, 2017. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  3. ^ "Iloilo provincial jail turned over to National Museum". Sunstar. April 11, 2018. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  4. ^ Nicolas, Jino (April 19, 2018). "Century-old prison is now a museum". BusinessWorld. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  5. ^ "Amazing transformation: Iloilo provincial jail turns into a museum". ABS-CBN News. May 2, 2018. Retrieved August 11, 2023.