🏛️ Sto. Niño Shrine & Museum Tacloban: History, Marcos Legacy & Must-See Collections

🏛️ Sto. Niño Shrine and Museum: A Glimpse into Tacloban’s History and the Marcos Legacy

Often mistaken for the Sto. Niño Church, the Sto. Niño Shrine and Museum is a two-story heritage building located on Real Street in downtown Tacloban City. It is one of the province’s popular tourist attractions — not only because of its association with the Marcos family but also due to the priceless collections housed inside.

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🖼️ A Museum Built with Stories

The museum is named after the city’s patron saint, Sto. Niño, but locals whisper that it was built for former First Lady Imelda Marcos as one of their many rest houses across the country.

 

The moment you enter, your eyes are drawn to the stunning walls designed to look like woven palm leaves or banig. But it’s not an ordinary mat — the textiles are uniquely crafted piece by piece, giving the museum an original and captivating character.

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✨ Main Attractions Inside the Shrine

 

• Paintings of the 14 Stations of the Cross by various Filipino artists grace the halls.
• A magnificent wooden bas-relief depicting the legendary First Filipino couple, Si Malakas at Si Maganda, stands proudly in the expansive living room.
• The museum boasts original paintings by Fernando Amorsolo, alongside rare collectibles from around the world.

Some standout pieces include:

• Floor carpets from Argentina
• Chandeliers from the Czech Republic
• Mirrors from Austria
• Tiles from Italy
• Antique jars from China
• A jade image of the Holy Child
• Various ceramics, pottery, and other priceless artifacts

 

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🏠 Exploring the Floors

Ground Floor:

 

  

• The chapel with a Sto. Niño image as its focal point
• Thirteen guest rooms, each uniquely decorated with Filipino regional motifs like Palawan, Ilocos, and Mindanao

Second Floor:

• A grand staircase leading to a spacious living room filled with priceless memorabilia
• A large ballroom, elegant dining rooms, and the luxurious bedrooms of the Marcos family
• Imelda Marcos’ bedroom stands out for its grandeur, featuring a huge bathroom complete with a beauty parlor and a large bathtub — although none of the bedrooms were reportedly ever used, suggesting they were designed more for show than stay.

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💡 Tips for Your Visit

 

  

• Come in the morning to avoid the afternoon heat.
• The museum is quite large with many photo-worthy spots, so allow extra time to explore thoroughly.
• Shoes must be removed before the tour, but slippers are provided for your comfort.
• The guided tour takes about 30 minutes, which feels a bit rushed. Don’t hesitate to ask permission to stay longer or linger at your favorite spots.
• On my second visit, the guide kindly allowed extra time and even helped us capture some great photos by recommending the best angles.

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📋 Visitor Information

• Entrance Fee: ₱290 for a group of four, including use of one camera
• Additional cameras cost ₱60 each
• Opening Hours: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
• Address: Real Street, Downtown, Tacloban City, Leyte

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🚌 How to Get There from Downtown Tacloban

• Jeepney: Take any jeepney bound for Real Street and ask the driver to drop you off at the Shrine. The fare is ₱8 and the trip takes less than 15 minutes.
• Tricycle: You can also hire a tricycle for ₱8 (regular) or ₱60 (special trip).

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📸 Note on Photos

All photos featured here were taken before Typhoon Haiyan and with a different set of friends. Thanks to Eugene Perez and Joan Badiango for some of the picture.