Megaworld Opens ‘Chinatown Museum’ in Binondo
Property giant’s second museum project to offer glimpse of glorious past of the ‘World’s Oldest Chinatown’
Township developer Megaworld (PSE: MEG) is opening the country’s first cultural museum dedicated to the ‘World’s Oldest Chinatown’ inside the Lucky Chinatown Mall in Binondo, Manila.
Located at the 4th level of Lucky Chinatown’s Building A, the Chinatown Museum features 18 galleries, with each focusing on various influences and historical events that have shaped the cultural, social and economic threads of Binondo – from its establishment as a settlement for Christianized Chinese to the height of downtown Escolta on its way to becoming a bustling commercial downtown of colonial Manila.
The new cultural landmark, recognized by the National Historical Commission and National Commission for the Culture and the Arts, is envisioned as a community space and heritage project that lends a visual retelling of the rich history of Binondo. “It has always been our goal to integrate arts, culture, history and heritage in the overall character of our developments. With Lucky Chinatown being at the center of a community characterized by its rich history, we wanted to extend this passion for the arts and culture to the mall experience and eventually boost tourism in this part of Manila,” says Kevin L. Tan, chief strategy officer, Megaworld.
Chinatown Museum is the second museum venture of the property giant following the opening of the Iloilo Museum for Contemporary Art (ILOMOCA), the first museum of its kind in the Visayas and Mindanao region, inside its Iloilo Business Park township in Mandurriao, Iloilo last year. Part of the company’s tourism initiatives is to integrate museum projects in its township developments across the country. Currently, it is curating museums for its townships in Cebu, Pampanga and Pasig City.
“We conducted thorough research and consultations for this project, and we collaborated with members of the academe, respected historians and prominent figures in the community in order to provide an accurate and comprehensive representation of Binondo’s rich history. We went beyond a historical presentation of facts and we even developed the museum’s very own app to make it educational and at the same time entertaining especially to the young audience,” reveals Tan.
For a more immersive and interactive experience, Megaworld is also introducing the Chinatown Museum App for museum visitors. Available for download on Google Play for Android users and on the Apple store for iOS users, the customized App aims to provide easy access to the museum’s gallery information on Binondo’s rich and colorful history. It utilizes bluetooth technology, and it allows smoother transition between topics and information while inside the museum.
Chinatown Museum is connected directly to the main mall of Lucky Chinatown via a bridgeway at the fourth level and the newly-opened Hotel Lucky Chinatown. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10AM to 6PM. Admission rates for regular visitors are priced at PhP150, senior citizens at PhP120 and students at PhP100. Kids below four feet are free of charge.
