Intramuros Tourist Center to open on June 12

MANILA, Philippines — An immersive museum experience awaits visitors of the Walled City of Intramuros on Wednesday, as the Intramuros Tourist Center is set to open its doors to the public tomorrow.

The immersive museum, dubbed Centro De Turismo, will open to the public for free starting Wednesday as the nation marks the 126th Independence Day. It will operate daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Department of Tourism said it is housed in the former site of San Ignacio Church, one of the original seven churches of Intramuros, which has been devastated during the Battle of Manila in 1945.

The ruins of the San Ignacio Church, formerly known for its Neoclassical architecture, has been transformed into the Intramuros Tourist Center through an adaptive reuse funded by the Office of the President. The project was led by First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos in coordination with the DOT and other government agency.

Araneta-Marcos led the inauguration of the new tourism hub on Sunday. It is designed to bring tourists to a cultural journey on history and provide them a window to the historic events from the pre-colonial, Spanish era, World War II and until the present and future development in Intramuros, the World Travel Awards Asia’s Leading Tourist Attraction in 2022.

“The Intramuros Tourist Center symbolizes our gateway to the past. It's a celebration of rich history and a testament to our collective identity,” the first lady said.

“Intramuros, with its storied walls and timeless streets, has always been a symbol of our resilience as a people. This center would add a new chapter to our legacy. It will house invaluable artifacts, tell the stories of our ancestors, and it also gives us a good reason to stroll through these historical photos without having to pretend we are lost tourists,” she added.

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco thanked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Araneta-Marcos for supporting the project which she said represents the agency’s “commitment to preserving and sharing the unique cultural heritage of Manila.

“This project not only honors the past but also provides a dynamic space for our visitors to engage with the history and stories of Intramuros,” the tourism chief said.

“True to our mandate in DOT and as envisioned by our President, the Intramuros Tourist Center is dedicated to enriching the Philippine visitor experience,” she also said.

Visitors of the Centro de Intramuros will be entertained by DOT-trained tour guides and tourism front liners who also completed the Filipino Brand of Service Excellence training module.

Intramuros Administration’s administrator Joan Padilla said that tourists will be provided information about guided tours, updates about the services, events and activities within the Walled City.

Aside from the Intramuros Tourist Center, tourists can also visit Museo de Intramuros, located adjacent to it. The museum, which opened to the public in May 2019, showcases the ecclesiastical collection of the Intramuros Administration, many of which were excavated from the ruins of San Ignacio Church.

Meanwhile, the DOT also said that Centro De Turismo Intramuros will be a part of the Hop-On-Hop-Off Manila- Cultural Hub, the country’s hop-on, hop-off bus tour program. The Manila Cultural Hub has nine stops including the following:

• Robinsons Manila
• Raja Sulayman
• Rizal Park Luneta
• National Museum
• Malacañang Heritage Tours
• City Hall
• Escolta
• Binondo
• Intramuros