Looking for a new museum to visit in Quezon City? Check out Bahay Modernismo, a house museum devoted to Philippine modern heritage inside Quezon Memorial Circle. This unique space offers a glimpse into mid-20th-century Filipino life and architecture.
If you’ve ever wondered what life was like for residents of Quezon City back in the 1950s to 1960s, this small house museum offers a “throwback to an era of postwar optimism.” It’s like a time capsule you can walk through.
The museum officially opened to the public on May 30, 2025. I visited on the first Sunday of its opening by bike to check it out and revisited the following weekend on a museum date to take better photos.
According to the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), Bahay Modernismo is the first museum on modern heritage. The museum highlights the evolution of urban development, modernism, and popular culture in the country during the mid-20th century.
The design and curation of Bahay Modernismo was led by renowned architect and heritage conservationist Gerard Lico of ARC LICO, recreating the “midcentury domestic environment in Quezon City,” which is said to be “the birthplace of Philippine modernism.”
As explained in one museum display upon entering: “Rising from the ruins of the war, Quezon City was the promised land that provided the empty slate for a new Filipino architecture and domesticity to flourish.”
According to the firm, the mid-century era was one defined by hopes, optimism and reinvention and the museum manages to capture that spirit of postwar optimism.
Bahay Modernismo is housed in a split-level bungalow, which is a reconstruction of the demolished residence of the Aquino family formerly located at #25 Times Street. The original house holds a lot of history as it was once home to prominent figures such as former President Corazon Aquino, Senator Ninoy Aquino, and President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. The new museum makes use of some of the original architectural fragments from the old residence.
Walking around the rooms, you’re greeted with nostalgic furniture, household items, design elements, and home decor that reflect the culture and brands popular in Quezon City’s suburbia during that era.
The main dining area displays a historical timeline showing the rise of suburbia and bungalow housing in Quezon City. Large maps show the original housing development plans and the growth of various districts.
Entering each room is like stepping into the pages of an old magazine, komiks, or the set of Pleasantville or Mad Men. I liked how the kitchen featured vintage appliances, synthetic plastic tableware and nostalgic old-school packaging of food products, down to handwritten recipes posted on the old-school refrigerator.
You can get an up-close look at the retro interiors, decor, and old-school household brands. When I peeped into the bathrooms, I spotted household items like toothpaste boxes, soap and perfume bottles with packaging reflective of the time. I also spotted familiar-looking toys and books that we grew up with, that were passed down through generations.
The den is a treasure trove for pop culture lovers, with old records, classic typewriters and framed magazines like Liwayway, Panorama, Ilang-Ilang and exhibits showcased on the wall.
Bahay Modernismo also offers unique insights into Quezon City’s history and shows the history and origins of tourist landmarks and various districts, making it ideal for anyone interested in architecture and design.
One gallery highlights iconic landmarks in the city, including the Mabuhay Welcome Rotonda, the Araneta Coliseum, UP Diliman, Quezon City Memorial Circle, Balara Filters Park and iconic churches.
Another exhibit explains the rise of Space Age architecture influenced by the optimism and futurism of the Atomic Age and the Space Race, as seen in geometric shapes and saucer-shaped designs like the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice designed by National Artist Leandro V. Locsin.
Whether you’re interested in architecture and design or are looking for a new place to visit in the area, Bahay Modernismo is a welcome addition to the museums inside Quezon Memorial Circle.
With the opening of Bahay Modernismo, there are currently four museums inside Quezon Memorial Circle that are now open to the public free of charge. You can also visit the Museo ni Manuel Quezon and Mausoleum housed inside the Quezon Memorial Shrine, the Quezon Heritage House and the Presidential Car Museum.
Operating hours
Bahay Modernismo is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Closed on Mondays. Admission is free to the public.
Travel tips
- Visitors can’t bring bags or backpacks inside the museum. You’ll be asked to leave your bags near the entrance.
- While you can’t touch some of the exhibits or props on display, we were told that we could sit on the chairs in some of the rooms for photo ops.
- Just look out for the “do not touch” signs on some of the shelves and displays.
- Photography (without flash) inside is allowed. Video taking is not allowed unless you get permission from the QC Tourism Department.
- You can explore the museum on your own or avail of a guided tour from the museum staff on duty.
- If you’re traveling by bike, you can bring bikes through the gate and park in the garage. There’s a security guard.
- There are spacious parking areas for cars near the restaurants and in front of the Presidential Car Museum near this.
- If you’re commuting, you can take the free QCity Bus and get off at QC Hall. Cross through the underpass to enter Quezon Memorial Circle.
- For inquiries, contact: qctourism.museums@gmail.com
Location and address
Bahay Modernismo is located inside the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City. It’s between the Quezon Heritage House and the Presidential Car Museum.
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