Banaan museum is Pangasinan's leading cultural destination

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LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — The Banaan Pangasinan Provincial Museum is emerging as the province's leading cultural destination, attracting both local and international visitors since its inauguration on Sept. 11, 2023.

Maria Luisa Elduayan, head of the Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office (PTCAO), reported that the museum welcomed 17,498 visitors between its opening and December 2024.

Of this total, 9,178 visitors explored the museum in 2023, while 8,320 visited from January to December 2024.

CHINESE JUNK A small replica of a Chinese junk is among the exhibits at the Banaan Pangasinan Provincial Museum in Lingayen, Pangasinan. The boat carried goods to Pangasinan during the precolonial times when the Chinese traded with Pangasinan residents. The museum, which is inside the historic Casa Real, is the emerging top cultural destination of Pangasinan. PHOTO BY GABRIEL CARDINOZA

Housed in the historic Casa Real, the museum operates exclusively on weekdays.

Elduayan noted that in its initial three months, most visitors came from within the province, particularly from the capital town of Lingayen. She attributed the steady influx of guests to the museum's online registration system.

"Through online visitor registration, guests arrived in large numbers, especially when admission was free from September to November 2023," Elduayan said.

In December 2023, the provincial board implemented an entrance fee structure: P200 for adults, P160 for senior citizens and persons with disabilities, and P100 for children and students.

Among the 8,320 visitors in 2024 were foreign tourists from the United States, Denmark, South Korea, and Indonesia. Other international guests came from France, Japan, Vietnam, Bulgaria, Britain, Thailand, Malaysia, Germany, and Samoa.

Elduayan also shared that the majority of 2024's visitors were female, totaling 5,337, while male visitors numbered 2,983. The predominant age groups were 11 to 20 years old, mostly students, followed by 21 to 30-year-old young professionals.

Tourists from various provinces, including Cebu, Zamboanga del Norte, Negros Occidental, Iloilo, Masbate, La Union, Tarlac, Zambales, Laguna, Quirino, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, Aurora, Cavite, and Kalinga, also visited the museum. Additionally, visitors came from cities such as Baguio, Parañaque, Pasig, Mandaluyong, Quezon, Pasay, and Tuguegarao.

During the museum's first anniversary, Gov. Ramon Guico III highlighted the importance of cultural preservation.

"If there is no museum, a person wouldn't know who they are. Without knowledge of culture and history, identity is lost. This is why museums are so important," Guico said.

The museum features 11 interactive galleries showcasing artifacts, artworks, and historical installations that celebrate Pangasinan's rich heritage.

A museum shop also offers locally made products, including bamboo crafts, buri and rattan bags, upcycled wood items, and artworks.