Under the drizzling rain of 8 September, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos danced joyfully with the Cordilleran performers — a fitting celebration for a momentous occasion. For the first time in history, The Mansion in Baguio, long hidden behind its famous ornate ironwork gates, has opened its doors to the public. Leading the ceremony was the First Lady herself, marking a new chapter for this 116-year-old estate.

Once the official holiday residence and office of the President of the Philippines in the City of Pines, The Mansion now stands as the Presidential Museum — a fresh addition to Baguio’s list of tourist attractions.

“Now, it’s a tourist attraction. It always was, but it was behind closed gates, so we’re opening it up,” said Palace Social Secretary Bianca Zobel when asked by reporters about the transformation. She noted that every day, around 500 tourists flock to take pictures outside the mansion, and on weekends, this number swells to as many as 2,000.

Tourists can now pass through the once-forbidden towering gates, either walking up the hill or riding a golf cart, to finally witness the elegant Spanish Colonial Revival architecture of the mansion up close, surrounded by manicured lawns, pristine gardens, and towering pine trees.

Zobel emphasized the significance of the mansion’s opening: “It’s a continuation of the Malacañang heritage mansions that we have. This is something that we would like to put in more areas so that people have that access and knowledge.”

A GLIMPSE INSIDE

With The Mansion’s transformation into a museum, its once-private rooms have been converted into public galleries, shedding their former identity as a presidential vacation home.

The halls are now adorned with portrait paintings of the republic’s presidents, while another hallway showcases paintings of the First Ladies. According to Zobel, the museum offers a combined experience similar to the Bahay Ugnayan Museum and the Teus Mansion Presidential Museum, both located in San Miguel, Manila.

Visitors to the Presidential Museum in Baguio are taken on a journey through time, learning about each Philippine president from Emilio Aguinaldo to the current leader. Exhibition panels provide a timeline of significant milestones during each president’s term, as well as their contributions to the nation.

The museum houses an array of memorabilia, including busts, artifacts, framed photographs, newspaper clippings and personal belongings — such as Corazon Aquino’s rag dolls and Rodrigo Duterte’s miniature dolls by toymaker Dennis Mendoza. Interactive digital screens are also available to enhance a visitor’s educational experience.

Zobel mentioned that the museum also benefits from the extra artifacts from Malacañang Palace in Manila, which have found a new home in Baguio. “We have no space to put it in Malacañang, so we have sent it all here for the people of the north to enjoy,” she explained.

Dr. Eric Zerrudo, executive director of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and part of the consulting team for the museum, expressed his amazement to the press: “I think our generation really never had that luxury to visit the mansion up close. But this time, everybody is welcome… Who would have thought in our lifetime, mabubuksan natin ang mansion to the public?”

No museum experience is complete without a visit to the souvenir shop. The small shop inside the museum offers an array of mementos, which feature the current president and Uniteam merchandise. Visitors can purchase purses, mugs, T-shirts, ballers, wallets, alcohol, paperweights, stickers, tote bags, and even a copy of the Philippine Source magazine with President Bongbong Marcos on the cover.

A LEGACY OF PRESIDENTS

The museum’s opening has also been hailed as a significant boost to local tourism. Secretary of Tourism Christina Garcia Frasco expressed her gratitude to the President and First Lady for what she described as a “most significant and impactful project.”

“This will, inevitably, I’m sure, also help our local economy here in Baguio with the tourists that will be coming in. The suppliers, also, will benefit from added touristic activities in the area. And most importantly, it will instill a sense of national pride, especially among our youth, since they will have an opportunity to learn about the work of our previous presidents and their contributions to our country,” Frasco remarked.

BAGUIO’S UNIQUE CHARM

Beyond the educational tour of presidential legacies, the mansion itself remains a major attraction. Situated across the Wright Park, even its imposing gates — which have been falsely rumored to be a replica of Buckingham Palace’s main gate — are a sight to behold.

Department of Tourism Cordillera Regional Director Jovita Ganongan, who also attended the museum’s opening, highlighted the unique “Baguio features” of the mansion, particularly the old crazy-cut concrete stonewall facade. “It is very Baguio, even outdoors. As you can see, we’re surrounded by pine trees, a characteristic of the city of Baguio. It’s also being emphasized, and it’s part of the experience when you are here at the mansion,” Ganongan shared.

Ganongan also noted that most of the museum guides are graduates of the University of Baguio, who majored in History and received in-house training.

The Presidential Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., free of charge. Tours, which can accommodate 20 visitors every 30 minutes, are available for walk-ins, although booking a slot through the official website is encouraged.

Frasco summed up the museum’s significance, stating, “Kasi ‘yun naman po talaga ‘yung layunin ng ating presidente, na mabigyan ‘yung ating mga turista ng pagkakataon na makilala ‘yung bansang Pilipinas from the lens of our history, our heritage and our identity as Filipinos (Because that is really the President’s purpose, to allow our tourists a chance to get to know more about the Philippines from the lens of our history, our heritage and our identity as Filipinos).”