Davao City – The new Museo Dabawenyo will move to its new location in a 5-storey building constructed with the P200 million funding support from the Office of the President and the National Museum of the Philippines.
The building, which is located inside the People’s Park, will be completed next year.
It is designed with a futuristic durian-inspired exterior. Once open, admission to the museum will be free. The local government unit and the National Museum of the Philippines will manage the Museo Dabawenyo.
Winnie Rose Galay-Bulig, the Officer-in-Charge of Museo Dabawenyo, said that the museum would not only display local artifacts and history but also a museum of national history.
“Kung unsa tong makita sa atong National Museum in Manila, most probably the same lang ang sulod (What we can see at the National Museum in Manila most probably it will be the same). So, we will be expecting more galleries, exhibition areas not only focusing on local history but also national history as well,” she said.
She added that the construction of the building for the museum is a huge contribution in remembering not only Davao’s rich culture and heritage but of the Philippines’ as a whole.
Bulig said that the new building of Museo Dabawenyo was constructed inside People’s Park so that it will become a one-stop-shop for tourists coming to the city.
“Naa dira ang Pasalubong Center, ang People’s Park mismo, and soon ang atoang National Museum. Suited gyud siya dira nga area para one-stop shop nalang ang adtuan sa mga turista (The location will have the Pasalubong Center, the People’s Park itself, and soon our National Museum. It is a suited area, so it will be a one-stop-shop for tourists),” Bulig said.
Museo Dabawenyo is currently located at the University Avenue, Juna Subdivision, Matina, and is temporarily closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. People who want to visit the museum may take a 3D virtual tour of Museo Dabawenyo through bit.ly/2Q0vC92 or on the Museo Dabawenyo Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/museodabawenyo. It is available online until December 31, 2020. (City Information Office)