Casa Gorordo re-opens Nov. 29
Casa Gorordo, one of Cebu’s muchloved museums, opens its doors to the public on Nov. 29, after a threeyear renovation promising a richer, enhanced, more interactive experience.
The former residence of the first Filipino bishop of Cebu, Juan Gorordo, the house offers an encounter with the lifestyle of Cebuanos living in the mid19th and early 20th centuries. Its stoneand-wood residential structure, replete with azotea and a modest-sized lawn, communicates the genteel, laidback attitude of the era.
“Prior to the current restoration, Casa Gorordo offered an immersive visual experience. But this time, we are presenting the story of the house and old Cebu in a graceful melding of traditional storytelling and creative new technologies,” Florencio Moreno II, the museum curator, said.
Guests will literally be drawn into the era through wide-screen walk-throughs of different periods in Cebu’s history and sound-integrating dioramas of early 19th century scenes as they will be regaled by the elegant interiors and decors of the house. The restoration work included the restructuring of the Casa Gorordo Museum souvenir shop and café located in its adjacent outhouse. The shop contains exclusively designed merchandise. The café offers a tasty menu in a classy milieu.
The museum is widely popular among tourists and locals. It is a major stop in various tour itineraries and figures prominently in the Gabii
sa Kabilin (Night of Heritage) which happens in May each year.
In recognition of the historical and social significance of the house, the National Historical Institute conferred on the Casa Gorordo Museum the title “National Historical Landmark” in 1991.
The facility, located along Lopez Jaena St. in Cebu City’s Parian district, is managed by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. It was closed in 2013 to give way to restoration and enhancement work.
From Nov. 14 to 28, Casa Gorordo is holding an online trivia contest over Facebook. Winners will get free passes to the museum. Casa Gorordo Museum is open from Tuesdays to Sundays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visitors may log on to www.rafi.org.ph for more information or call 411-1700 local 24536. (PR)