Megaworld Building PHP1.2 Billion Mactan World Museum In Cebu

Township developer Megaworld Corporation is building a PHP1.2 billion Mactan World Museum inside its 30-hectare The Mactan Newtown in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, to feature curated pieces and cultural artifacts highlighting centuries of friendship between the Philippines and Spain.

The Mactan World Museum is the fourth museum property that Megaworld is building inside its townships after the Chinatown Museum in Lucky Chinatown, the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art (ILOMOCA), and the Brandy Museum in Iloilo Business Park. I Image: Megaworld

Megaworld disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) that the museum will serve as “an ode to the island’s cultural pride and historical significance.”

The museum will rise along Newtown Boulevard just in front of Megaworld’s 8 Newtown Boulevard residential condominium, and will feature an extensive collection of historic pieces, curated by Dannie Alvarez, president of the Alliance of Greater Manila Museums, Inc. (AGMMI) and former head of the Committee on Museums of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

This collection highlights the friendship and rich cultural exchange between the Philippines and Spain during the past centuries, Megaworld emphasized.

The Mactan World Museum also features three life-size monuments of Lapu-Lapu, King Philip II, and Ferdinand Magellan.

It will lend a visual retelling of the travel and arrival of Portuguese explorer Magellan and his crew in Mactan, his defeat against fearless tribal leader LapuLapu, and the Hispanic heritage of the Manila Galleon trade, Megaworld discussed.

It added that the museum will feature five main exhibit galleries on the second floor showcasing collections, artifacts, replica mementos, and interactive virtual displays related to various influences and historical events between the Philippines and Spain.

These subjects include Spain’s quest for spices, the Kingdom of Sugbu, Magellan’s early expeditions, and the Battle of Mactan, among others, the company stressed.

The museum will also have two performance halls–a Flamenco Studio and a Multimedia Room–which can be combined into one main hall and accommodate about 270 people.

This feature allows visitors to enjoy watching traditional Spanish dance performances and short play productions. An immersive hall also provides guests with an audio-visual experience of historical events during the Spanish regime in the country.

Graham M. Coates, Head of Megaworld Lifestyle Malls, underscored, “It has always been part of our townships’ mission and identity to celebrate the arts, culture, and heritage of every location where we are present. This museum will provide locals and tourists with a creative avenue to connect, share interests as a community, expand knowledge, and form a deeper appreciation not only for Mactan but also for our nation’s history.”

The museum will also host several other activities rooted in Filipino-Spanish traditions and culture, such as a seasonal bazaar showcasing Cebu’s main delicacies, a guitar-making and retail area, and a self-operated Filipino-themed photo studio, it added.

Currently, the township serves as home to top-notch residential condominium developments and office towers.

The 547-room Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown, the 550-room Belmont Hotel Mactan–both managed and operated by Megaworld Hotels & Resorts–and the Mactan Newtown Beach are also situated in the aforementioned.

Also inside the township are schools led by the Newtown School of Excellence, retail shops, service outlets, and restaurants, including a diverse selection of local cuisines at the Mactan Alfresco.

The Mactan World Museum is the fourth museum property that Megaworld is building inside its townships after the Chinatown Museum in Lucky Chinatown, the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art (ILOMOCA), and the Brandy Museum in Iloilo Business Park.

The Mactan World Museum is targeted to open within the next three years.