YESTERDAY marked the 448th anniversary of Manila’s proclamation as the capital of the Philippines. On June 24, 1571, Spanish colonizer Miguel Lopez de Legazpi transferred the seat of power of the Spanish colonial administration in the country from Cebu to Manila after learning of the northern city’s rich resources, which included strong Chinese economic activity in Binondo.
Trade and commerce have reined the streets of Ongpin, Escolta and all of Binondo for generations as the world’s oldest Chinatown. Its rich history, along with its cultural significance to the country, is chronicled in a new museum that presents the story in an engaging experience that goes beyond antique displays and glassed artifacts.
Chinatown Museum showcases the evolution of Binondo and its people in 18 galleries, each one focusing on historical events and influences that have shaped the cultural and economic melting pot. Located at the 4th level of Lucky Chinatown Mall Building A in Binondo, the space is an P80-million project by township developer Megaworld.
“With Lucky Chinatown being at the center of a community characterized by its rich history, we wanted to extend this passion for the arts and culture to the mall experience and eventually boost tourism in this part of Manila,” said Kevin L. Tan, chief strategy officer of Megaworld.
Chinatown Museum’s first gallery highlights Binondo’s beginnings in 1594, when sangleys, or Christianized Chinese immigrants mainly from Fujian and Guangdong, first settled in the area. Another gallery focuses on the abundance of tobacco factories in Binondo, while one explores the prevalence of opium use among Chinese laborers in colonial Manila.
There are a lot of interactive exhibits as well. Visitors can pull out and interact with various medicinal herbs from drawers at Botica de San Fernando gallery. They can also take a ride at one of the main modes of transportation in Manila in the 1900s, called tranvia.
According to Tan, the group conducted thorough research and consultations for Chinatown Museum, which is recognized by the National Historical Commission, and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. He said they collaborated with members of academe, respected historians and prominent figures in the community “in order to provide an accurate and comprehensive representation of Binondo’s rich history.”
“We went beyond a historical presentation of the facts, and we even developed the museum’s very own app to make it educational and entertaining, especially to the young audience,” Tan added.
The app is geared toward a more immersive and interactive museum experience, wherein visitors can easily access gallery information about Binondo’s rich and colorful history. Available for download on Google Play and the App Store, the app utilizes Bluetooth technology, allowing for smoother transition between topics and information while inside the museum.
Open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm, Chinatown Museum (www.chinatownmuseum.org) is the second museum venture of the property giant following the opening last year of the Iloilo Museum for Contemporary Art, or Ilomoca, at the Iloilo Business Park township in Mandurriao, Iloilo. It is the first museum of its kind in the Visayas and Mindanao region.
The integration of museum projects in its township developments across the country is part of Megaworld’s tourism initiatives. Currently, the group is curating museums for its townships in Cebu, Pampanga and Pasig City.
Tan said: “It has always been our goal to integrate arts, culture, history and heritage in the overall character of our developments.”