Museo De La Salle , De La Salle University campus , Dasmariñas, Cavite- Philippines
De La Salle- Dasmariñas City -is a member institution of De La Salle located Cavite. It was established on July 18, 1977 as a private nonsectarian tertiary school named General Emilio Aguinaldo College-Cavite and managed by the Yaman Lahi Foundation. In 1987, ownership and management were transferred to Frère (St.) Benilde Romancon Educational Foundation Inc., a sister corporation of De La Salle University ( Manila ) . It became a Catholic institution under the name De La Salle University-Emilio Aguinaldo College. In 1992, the name DLSU-EAC was changed to De La Salle University-Aguinaldo. In 1997 the institution was renamed again as De La Salle University-Dasmariñas to avoid confusion with the nearby Emilio Aguinaldo -College .
De La Salle University-Dasmariñas campus map
De La Salle University-Dasmariñas campus has been conferred the DARK GREEN STATUS by the Dark Green Schools (DGS) Program of the Environmental Education Network of the Philippines, Inc. (EENP). The conferment is an affirmation of the University’s “effective integration of environmental concerns in its academic programs and its continuing efforts to improve the environmental situation within its community”. This is the highest status a member institution of DGS can receive. DLSU-D is one of three schools given this status in the entire Philippines.
Museo De La Salle
History :



Its Spanish colonial era-inspired motif, the four structures within De La Salle University compound was officially named as the Cultural Heritage Complex.
This was my second time to visit the museum complex, the first one was in late 2000 when the museum is still new and had a smaller collection.
replica of the Ayuntamiento building is now being constructed within the complex
Ayuntamiento building
The building is currently being constructed at the complex. This Ayuntamineto building replica is expected to be finished anytime within this year or early next year.
Museum
The museum is a mix collection of furniture , family portraits, memorabilia, books , religious items, stuffed animals, period costumes, , Museo De La Salle is primarily for the collection of 18th to early 20th century art pieces, furniture among others . Some of the collections are donated to the museum , while some collections are on loan from the owners .
dining room with punkah or hand held ceiling fans
Punkah is a handheld fan , which originated from South Asian region . The name was derived from Hindustani . The invention of the handheld fans may be traced as far back during the Egyptian or ancient India around 5oo B.C.
In the colonial age, the word came to be use by Anglo-Indians in British India for a large swinging fan, fixed to the ceiling, pulled by servants .The purpose the usage is quite varied to provide air circulation during the hot weather or when during dining to drives away insects such as flies . For generations the punkah was a symbol of wealth and luxury .
The use of punkah increased during the late 17th to early 20th century in the Philippines when electricity is not yet available. It is also quite fashionable to have these types of ceiling fans for rich families when they hold large banquets during town’s festivities, anniversaries and get-together . I have seen some punkah variation in my visit to some old houses in San Miguel , Casa de Manila in Intramuros , Binondo , Quiapo in Manila , Bulacan and Pampanga provinces.
collection of native hats from the 18th , 19th century with silver ornamentation
The museum had a collection of rich collection of antiques depicting how people lived during the Spanish occupation. It showcases the “Bahay na Bato” or Antillian Houses – the house was pattern after the old Spanish colonial style houses in the Antilles region of the Caribbean islands like Puerto Rico , Cuba, Hispaniola ( former colonies of Spain ) .
carrosa with lavish lightning ornamentation and pedestal made out of beaten silver coins donated by rich families to the town’s churches
Pieces of clothing from the different Filipino made fabrics and accessories or jewelries, shoes and other garments both from the donation of individuals.
kitchen area
Paintings are everywhere that Filipinos are known for our artistry. Primarily, the museo opened to educate students and people who are eager to learn the history of the Philippines.
bedroom with period costume pieces
The collection are progressing throughout the years as many are encouraged to donate art pieces, historical objects that will contribute to the museo. I think the pieces can be properly maintained and preserved at the museum. Some of the collections and fixtures were rescued by the families from the devastation of lahar which inundate parts of Pampanga during the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 and succeeding mud flows that followed there after .
collection of various saints made from local woods
Architectural details in the interior designs and furniture where kept in close attention . The designs were inspired from Constantino House in Balagtas, Armedo-Gonzales House in Sullipan, Apalit Pampanga and Santos Joven-Panlilio house in Bacoor , Pampanga.
wooden devise used to flatten the clothes
There was an extensive research done to the details of tiles, color, texture and organization as if it had live undisturbed throughout time.
jewelries
The areas in the Bahay na Bato are Zaguan which is the ground floor usually the pace as the modern time called garage. The calesa is a horse carriage where it can enter in the ground floor.
group picture taken at the museo lobby ( Mr. Martin Lopez -Director, President’s Committe on Culture & Alumni Affairs Office · Manila, Philippines, FEU swordsman fraternity members with the author )
Antonio and Victoria Cojuangco Memorial Chapel of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary
The church was modeled after the parish church in Maragondon , Cavite . The chapel ‘s construction was finance by the Cojuangco family .
Saint John Baptist de La Salle , church interior with pulpit and retablo
Aklatang Emilio Aguinaldo
It houses collections of books, periodicals, theses, and other reference materials. It was modeled from Aguinaldo’s residential house at Kawit , Cavite. The first building was a scaled-down model, and featured only the facade. Recent developments gave way for the new building, which exactly modeled from the Aguinaldo shrine, with the tower.
Aklatang Emilio Aguinaldo (AEA) – DLSU-D’s library.
Museum Guidelines ( from Museum’s brochure and tour guides)
– No bags, cameras, cigarettes and lighters are allowed in the exhibition area except the following: hand-carried wallets/purses, passports and cellular phones (in mute or vibrate mode). No picture taking on the second floor
– No eating, drinking and smoking inside the museum.
– No touching and handling of exhibition objects.
– No wandering beyond the official tour route.
Note : We would like to ” Thank” all the DLSU museum tour guides, FEU alumni affairs office thru Mr. Martin Lopez and Mr. Allan Rodriguez- Flores ( FEU Alumni- Cavite Chapter President ) for the tour arrangement inside the campus and for their gracious accommodation to the group. All pictures were taken by the author , to those who wish to use the pictures for any purpose, Please cite this link.
Museo De La Salle
(046)416-4531/416-4533 loc.(3151)│www.dasma.dlsu.edu.ph/offices/museo
Operation : Tuesday to Saturday
Time : 9:00 am to 12:00nn and 1:00pm to 3:30pm
Entrance fee: Adults and Professionals Php 100.00
Students Php 40.00 , Foreigners : $ 3.00
References and links:
Official Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/dlsudasma
DLSU :http://www.dlsud.edu.ph/
Filed under: museum | Tagged: Aklatang Emilio Aguinaldo, Antonio and Victoria Cojuangco Memorial Chapel of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, Ayuntamiento building, Brother Andrew Gonzalez, Cavite, Dasmariñas, De La Salle University, Emilio Aguinaldo -College, Far Eastern Alumni Affairs Office, FEU sword fraternity, Mr. Allan Rodriguez- Flores, Mr. Martin Lopez, Museo De La Salle, museum, Punkah | 6 Comments »