This is the 4th installment of my Gabii sa Kabilin Series. Below are clickable links to my previous write-ups about my Gabii sa Kabilin experience.
Gabie sa Kabilin (A Night of Heritage) | Cebu City, Philippines [Part 1]
The Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House | Gabii sa Kabilin, Cebu City [Part 2]
The Kabilin Center | Gabii sa Kabilin, Cebu City [Part 3]
After exiting The Kabilin Center, we passed by a narrow path leading to the adjacent destination, the Casa Gorordo Museum. It was very crowded; in fact, there was a long line before we could enter the premise of the museum.
Unlike the Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House which was all over the place, Casa Gorordo was in order even in the farthest corner of the house. Upon entry, we were welcome by a huge wall which read:
Built around 1950, four generation of the Gorordo family lived in this house. It survived two turbulent revolutionary conflicts, and the Seconf World War.
The house was acquired by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) in the late 1970s and was opened as a public museum in 1983.
In the first floor, the displays can be categorized into two, namely: (1) Agricultural and (2) Religiously. For the agricultural side, I've spotted life-size animals that are used in farming (carabao, cow, horse). On the walls, a dramatic exhibit of the traditional farming/agricultural tools were on display for everyone to see and marvel at.
On the other side, the life-sized statues of Saints, Jesus and the Holy Family and other religious figures occuppied almost half of the entire 1st floor.
We didn't stay long in the first floor as it felt like a transit space for everyone coming inside Casa Gorordo Museum and honestly, it felt cramped. It was only when we reached the upper floor that we were able to breathe some fresh, cold air. From the view at the upper floor, it was apparent that this event was a huge success. Huge crowd hovered just outside the museum. Some were done with their own tours while others were grabbing late dinner.
The situation at the 2nd floor didn't improve that much; it was still crowded but at least we were no longer surrounded by concrete walls.
Unlike Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House, Casa Gorordo Museum was very strict and had established guidelines for museum goers to follow; some parts of the house were restricted and can't be further explored. Below are glimpse of one of the house's bedrooms.
I don't want to sound like I'm attacking the Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House; this is just my honest review and comparison of the two museums/ancestral houses. 😅 On this note, Casa Gorordo's portrayal of the past through its walls, corridors, rooms, furnitures, etc. gave me a better idea of what it was like to live in a rich man's life decades ago. Unlike the Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House, there were no exaggerated, unnecessary and modern decorations to elevate the look of the house. It was clean and clear of obstructions which made our immersion a better one.
Everything inside Casa Gorordo Museum showed nothing but authenticity to the luxurious life of the Gorordo Family. From the smallest silverware to the grandest hanging lights, wooden cribs and sturdy bedroom, it felt genuinely from and used in the past. When I saw the small chapel in one of the rooms, I realized how filthy rich they were. Who has a room assigned for a chapel, right? I guess only the rich.
More photos inside the museum's living area.
Photos of the house's bathroom. It's too big even bigger my room at home. 😅 Their tub's shape was so unique. I don't think one can lay flat while inside the tub.
Photos from the kitchen. Some parts of the kitchen were restricted from public viewing; everything I saw piqued my interest. The items displayed in the kitchen were clean and highly maintained. Kudos to RAFI for the job well done here!
More photos of us enjoying our time here:
Before you can exit the building, you'd pass by this artsy space filled with souvenirs you can buy and take home with you. All are made by Filipinos and for Filipinos. Philippine craftsmanship is on a different level. There were other activities and live shows in the lawn of Casa Gorordo; people were mostly chilling there while figuring out which spot to explore next.
On you way down from the souvenir shop is Bo's Coffee just in case you need a caffeine fix after the hours of walking and exploring the museum.
There's one last installment for this series before it'll finally come to a close. Stay tuned! ✨😎
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