Another museum is opening soon in Santa Barbara, Iloilo - the Ecclesiastical Museum of Santa Barbara. It will feature the ecclesiastical art collection of the parish of Santa Barbara.
It will be located at the convent of the church of Santa Barbara which has been declared a National Historical Landmark in 1991, and a National Cultural Treasure in 2013.
A budget of P4.85 million from the Government Appropriation Act of 2017 has been allocated for the project, according to the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP).
The ecclesiastical museum will be the second museum of the municipality, which already has the Santa Barbara Centennial Museum that was built in 1998 as part of the Centennial Freedom Trail Site Project of the Philippine Centennial Commission. The centennial museum houses antiques, artifacts and photos that tell the story of Santa Barbara’s historical heritage.
The ecclesiastical museum will have four galleries with a total area of 393.18 square meters, a curator’s office with an area of 47.29 square meters, and a multi-purpose room with an area of 48.85 square meters.
It aims to exhibit and provide an overview of the different forms of ecclesiastical art and its religious symbolisms, and showcase the techniques used by local santeros to produce the different types of religious images and church furnishings.
The four galleries will include modules on the house of worship, statues of the saints, liturgical objects and liturgical vestments. It will also have audio-visual area.
Built in 1845 by Augustinian priest Francisco Aguerria, it was in this church where General Martin Delgado started the junta that resulted to the first cry of revolution against Spain outside Luzon in 1898.
The Santa Barbara church and convent was also used as the general headquarters and military hospital of the revolutionary forces.
The NHCP is now accepting bids for the museum curatorial design and execution, and once a contract is awarded, the winning bidder is expected to complete the project in 150 days.
The church and convent was restored for the celebration of the Philippine Independence Day in 2015 where then President Benigno Aquino III celebrated the national event.
Credits: Text and last photo c/o Nereo Lujan
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