BenCab Museum

Introduction

BenCab Museum is a famous art museum located along the Asin Road in the municipality of Tuba in the province of Benguet. It is a twenty-minute drive from the Baguio City center. BenCab Museum showcases BenCab’s collection of his own masterpieces and also those of other eminent artists and rising contemporary artists from different parts of the country. The museum intends to boost the arts, heritage, environmental, and cultural preservation of the Cordillera region.

According to its history, the construction of the BenCab Museum began in the year 2006. Filipino painter and Philippine National Artist Benedicto Reyes Cabrera also known as “BenCab” established the BenCab Museum to store his personal collection of paintings, tribal arts from the Cordillera highlands which he considers as underappreciated, erotica, and works of other rising Filipino artists that appealed to him including contemporary Philippine art. The museum was officially opened to the public on February 27, 2009, with the BenCab Art Foundation managing the whole facility. Today, the four-level BenCab Museum is one of the major venues for art shows and exhibitions and is one of the most visited museums in the Cordillera region. BenCab Museum houses nine galleries, a cafe, and a function room for workshops, seminars, and other art-related activities. Other attractions can be found in the backyard of the museum, which includes a mini-forest, organic farm, garden, and an aviary housing ducks, geese, peacocks, turkeys, and other local livestock. So if you love art and nature then BenCab Museum is the perfect place to visit.

Name: BenCab Museum
Address: Km. 6 Asin Road, Tuba, Benguet Philippines, 2603
Features: art collection of Philippine National Artist, Ifugao sculptures and crafts, Cafe Sabel

My trip to BenCab Museum

After I finished exploring the Tam-awan Village in Baguio City, I decided to visit the well-known BenCab Museum in the municipality of Tuba. As soon as I arrived at the place, I noticed there were several cars parked outside the museum and I saw a large signage of BenCab Museum. Then as I got my entrance ticket, I started walking inside the museum and I could see a museum lobby and office on the ground floor.

Afterward, I go to the second and third levels and I can see a viewing terrace, a function room, lots of sculptures, crafts, paintings, artifacts, and relics of the Cordilleras as well as galleries such as BenCab gallery which houses the artists’ famous artworks like the Sabel series, Cordillera gallery where visitors can learn more about Cordillera tribe history and their items they used in ancient days such as hunting weapons, furniture, and sculptures of the Bulul rice granary gods or Ifugao guardian spirits, Philippine contemporary art gallery 1 and 2 where artwork from relatively new artists are displayed, Sepia Gallery, Erotica gallery which contains sexual intimacies artwork from various artist may be offensive to minor and certain individuals but this gallery makes visitors treasure the art of erotic theme, sexuality, and human anatomy (concepts of the body), gallery indigo, gallery hall, Patio Salvador, Sepia gallery and Maestro gallery which is a compiled work of arts.

The gallery is a blend of high glass panes that slant light into modern art colonnades offset by walls of traditional animist wood carvings, sacred wood figures (Bulul installation), and carved wooden benches. Also in one section, I can see a big installation against one big white wall with natural light coming in. Then as I continued to roam around, I noticed that the landscape of the museum is so big and the abstract paintings, the London punk drawings and the family paintings that I saw are so beautiful. I really like the color contrast and I was very impressed. In addition, I really love the architecture of the museum with its high ceilings and glass walls. For this reason, I took my time going from gallery to gallery as it’s totally worth the time to see the beautiful artwork.

I have an eye for art and I enjoy and appreciate all the various visual art and paintings from BenCab himself and other local artists. The results of BenCab’s work are extraordinary and magnificent as his taste in art is superb. No wonder he is a Philippine National Artist. BenCab Museum houses every art piece I could ever think of such as sketches, paintings, drawings, art installations, sculptures, and artifacts. What I love about the museum is that most of the artwork displayed showcases the rich Cordillera culture and traditions through various artifacts and sculptures from art artists’ collection of indigenous including the different types of Bulul rice granary gods. Without a doubt, I enjoy the several levels of art displays.

After exploring the galleries I proceeded to the Cafe Sabel and I found out that they have a great selection of food such as all-day breakfast meals, pizzas, beef lasagna, cheesecake, salads, and pasta. Also, I noticed that the cafe has a vibrant interior with a delightful view of the farm and garden where ingredients used in Cafe Sabel are grown. For this reason, I grab a bite at the cafe and later I sip a good coffee on the balcony with an amazing view of the mountainside. I think it’s a perfect complement to the cold weather. The ambiance here is so good that I don’t want to leave this place. Undoubtedly, BenCab Museum is one of the most exquisite museums I’ve ever been to.

Then I explored the farm and garden at the back of the museum and I saw several indigenous designs of Ifugao, Kalinga, and Bontoc. The surrounding mountains, the aviary, and the museum itself stand on the opposite side of the hill which marks the end of the trail. I enjoyed the refreshing sight and the cool air. From my perspective, the museum complex is unique because of the wonderful greenery scenery, animal farm, and the tranquility of nature. I discern from a distance the eco-trail, river, diverse kinds of endangered Philippine trees, flowers, and plants, as well as animals while walking along the garden. Also, I enjoyed seeing visitors feeding the numerous fish in the wide man-made pond connected by a wooden bridge which led to a small gazebo where tourists could rest for a while. I think it’s the ideal place to relax from all the art admiration. To be honest, this is one of the best museums in the Philippines I’ve ever been to and it’s definitely a great place for art lovers and for nature lovers. I stayed at the BenCab Museum for nearly two hours and I highly recommend this place to everyone.

How to Go to BenCab Museum

By commute

From the jeepney terminal in Kayang Street at the western section of Baguio City Hall, ride a jeep bound for Asin Road and tell the driver to drop you off at the jeepney terminal on Asin Road and from there walk for a few minutes going to BenCab Museum. The jeepney fare is 20 pesos and the travel time is around thirty minutes. Note: If you don’t want to ride a jeep and you have a budget then you may ride a taxi from Baguio City center. 

By private car

From Burnham Park, pass through Harrison Road and Abanao Street. Stay on the left lane and pass through the Naguilian Road and later take the Asin Road and watch for the Kilometer 6 marker where you can see the BenCab Museum on the left side. The travel time is seventeen minutes. Note: A parking area is available near the museum.

Reminders and Tips:

• The entrance fee to BenCab Museum is 200 pesos per head. Note: Senior citizens and students have a discounted entrance fee of only 120 pesos and the entrance fee for PWDs (Persons with Disabilities) is 100 pesos only.

• Always follow the rules and guidelines inside the museum. Flash photography, video recording, tripods, and monopods are not allowed anywhere in the museum. Also, smoking and vaping within the museum premises are not allowed.

• The schedule or operating hours in BenCab Museum is from Tuesday to Sunday from 9 am in the morning up to 6 pm. Note: The museum is closed to all visitors during Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

• Any outside food and drinks are strictly prohibited. Visitors can buy food and refreshments at Cafe Isabel. Don’t forget to try the museum’s signature coffee called BenCab’s Brew.

• Touching any museum objects, arts, and exhibits is strictly prohibited.

• Visitors who want to see the mini forest can go to an eco-trail which takes an hour and most of the trees there have labels so visitors will know which trees are there.

• Always secure your personal belongings and valuable items. The management will not be responsible for any loss or damage.

• BenCab Museum shop offers visitors a variety of souvenir items such as wall calendars, wood carvings, and paper products.

• Last but not least, for any inquiries, visit and message their official Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/bencabmuseum/
  
  
  

There you have it, museum and art enthusiasts. Keep sharing your passions, spreading positivity, and embracing the journey. Remember your unique perspective makes the world brighter. From top to bottom, I hope that this blog has been helpful to you and to your friends. Stay safe and have a brilliant day ahead.