BenCab Museum is an art gallery showcasing hundreds of contemporary Filipino Art. Aside from being a tourist attraction around Baguio City, this museum in the middle of the mountain forest provides a door to the world of Cordilleran culture and heritage. It gives travelers a deeper understanding and immersion in an art that is so valuable and sacred to the people around it. In this article, we will share our experience and review this incredible museum in Benguet.
Post Updated: September 23, 2023. We removed Baguio City’s travel restrictions since the city is now open to tourists. Check out our ultimate travel guide to Baguio City for more information. We also updated the museum fees and operating hours of BenCab Museum.
Going Beyond the City and My Love for Museums
Many travelers love to visit Baguio City, and its accessibility to tourist destinations is genuinely inviting. My love for museums started when I visited Pinto Art Museum in Antipolo City a few years back. I’m just fond of learning new things, especially about the history of a particular region and the story behind every artwork. Before our short vacation, I didn’t know there was also a museum in Baguio City. I never heard of the BenCab Museum before, which sparked my interest the first time I knew it. Nevertheless, we included BenCab Museum Baguio in our itinerary and bolted to Asin Road in Tuba, Benguet.
How to Go to BenCab Museum?
Visiting this tourist spot is easy, and I recommend two ways of traveling to this museum. Here’s the map for reference:
Private Vehicle
If you have a private vehicle, I recommend Google Maps for navigation. Just key in your destination, BenCab Museum, and follow the directions. It would help to have a stable internet connection to use the app. Otherwise, you can also download a map section for offline use.
Via Jeep or Public Transportation
Our team used this method. We went to the terminal on Kayang Street and took a jeep to Asin Road. The Jeepney Terminal is located on the west side of Baguio City Hall. The fare costs around PHP 17, and the ride only took 30 minutes. We alighted at the Jeepney Terminal on Asin Road and walked a few meters to the museum. On the other hand, you can also take a cab but expect the fare will be costlier than the jeep.
BenCab Museum Entrance Fee
| Location | Km 6 Asin Road, Tadiangan, Tuba, Benguet |
| Operating Hours (updated: September 23, 2023) | The museum is open every Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. It is closed every Monday, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. |
| Entrance Fee (updated: September 23, 2023) | Regular Fee: PHP 200
Students: PHP 120 Senior Citizens and PWDs: PHP 150 |
Other Important Info
- You can request a guided tour at the reception area.
- Outside food and drinks are not allowed inside the museum’s premises. You can have some refreshments or a meal in their cafe on the museum’s bottom floor.
- You can take photos inside the museum. However, using flash or video recording is not allowed.
BenCab Museum Photos
The prominent signage of BenCab Museum greeted us when we arrived. Mr. Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera, a National Artist in the Philippines, founded this museum and has worked in the art industry for four decades. He is the Master of Filipino Contemporary Arts. This museum not only showcases different kinds of art but also has the will to preserve the environment and the cultural heritage of the Cordillera.
At the Lobby
We noticed a group portrait of Cordillera People displayed in the museum’s main hall. The painting reflects their characteristics based on their sun-kissed skin and facial features. The people of Cordillera were warriors during the time of Spanish colonialism.
We paid the entrance fee, which only costs PHP 200 (USD 3.6) per visitor. For students, the entrance fee is PHP 120. Tickets are also available for senior citizens and PWDs at PHP 150. The proceeds from the tickets will be donated to their foundation, which benefits the community it serves.
Exploring the Galleries of BenCab Museum
BenCab Museum sits on a promontory and offers fantastic views of expansive rainforests and mountain slopes. The galleries and hallways are clean, and its high-altitude location provides excellent ventilation. The museum is divided into several specific galleries. BenCab creates most of the artworks in this museum, but there are also some art pieces contributed by different artists.
An example of the galleries we visited is the Cordillera Gallery. This section highlights the native items and tools indigenous to the people of Cordillera. Different paintings and murals also decorate this area.
We explored the BenCab Museum easily because of its organized arrangements. Touring around the place is also relaxing because of its calm and quiet environment. This museum truly helped us learn about the culture and heritage of the people it represents.
At the Heavenly Balcony
I found this place somehow similar to Pinto Art Museum in Antipolo City. The museum is also located on a mountaintop and its structures and buildings are comparable. On the other hand, BenCab Museum is quite different because its location highlights the forest and mountains. The museum is around three stories in height, and each floor has a balcony that enables one to appreciate the wonders of nature. The clouds were touching us when we visited the BenCab Museum. It is magical. It’s like nature’s covering the mountains and forests into something heavenly.
Summary
We enjoyed our visit to the BenCab Museum. The beautiful artworks and the breathtaking views are memorable, which makes this art gallery unique among the others in the country. The museum also has a cafe on the ground floor in case you get famished. I highly recommend visiting this museum. I encourage Filipinos to appreciate and support Filipino arts and learn more about the culture and heritage of the Cordilleras at BenCab Museum.
This post was originally published on January 11, 2019, and updated on September 23, 2023, by Leo Ceasar of Lost and Wonder Philippines.
14 Comments. Leave new
I would love to visit a museum like this, on top of a mountain. I like to explore art, even if I don’t really understand it sometimes, but it does make you open your mind and think about what the artist must have felt to create it. I think I have seen some similar exhibitions in London, in a temporary gallery at the British Museum. It was really beautiful
If you will visit the Philippines, go up north here in Baguio City and visit this museum 🙂 You’ll surely love it!
Have always found museums to be fascinating, all kinds of museums. Art, Science, History, all subjects equally interesting. The Bencab museum is indeed a window to the history and culture of the place. A great way to have an immersive experience of the place.
Ben Cab museum is a testament of the rich culture in the cordillera region. I am very much fascinated how cordillera has been home to a lot of our great artists. Definitely worth a visit.
Bencab is one of the places that I recommend to friends when going to Baguio. I do think it’s important what this museum plays in preserving the Igorot culture. I was with a group when I went there and my companions went on a guided tour, I preferred going off on my own though. It’s amazing that photo with the view of the clouds. Wish I’d been Bencab in that kind of weather condition.
When the clouds shrouded the whole place, everything looks heavenly and magical. It was February when we visited this place and the weather is truly comforting 🙂
I m not usually a museum lover. But the variety of artifacts and the paintings at Bencab museum intrigue me. I love the way the exhibits are displayed in a clutter-free way in the minimal surroundings. It is interesting to know that most of the art pieces are made by one person.
This museum is truly one of a kind, aside from its located near Baguio City, it also owns a beautiful art crafts. I haven’t heard about this Musuem yet and I’ll surely pen this on my bucket list. I once have visited Baguio City and I’ll include this on my next visit, at least I have another reason to visit Baguio again.
Visit Baguio again sir and enjoy the cool fresh air. There are so many new things to see in Baguio and one of it is this museum 🙂
I love all things art! Bencab museum certainly seems like a place I would definitely love to check out.
I love visiting museums when i visit a new place. Helps me get to know about the culture in the quickest manner possible. Thanks for an informative post. Bencab Museum looks like a treasure of culture and heritage! Out of all the modes of travel to the Bencab museum, I would love to try out a Jeepney. I have heard so much about it!
If you’re going to visit the Philippines you should really try riding a jeep. It’s our common form of transportation here and it’s all part of our culture 🙂
I like visiting museums in general since they help you get acquainted with the culture and history of the place. I particularly like the house of modern art for the concept that it’s trying to tell – preserving the environment and the lifestyle of it’s tribes by making visitors acquainted with it in the first place. Really appreciate that!
I agree, it brings awareness to its visitors and make us support the purpose it serves. 🙂