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Herstory finds a home in the Tandang Sora Women’s Museum in Quezon City
By September Grace Mahino
March 12, 2025
The Filipino women’s invaluable contributions to Philippine art, culture, and history deserve more than just perfunctory mentions during national holidays and footnotes in history books. It’s timely, then, that there is now a cultural institution dedicated solely to reminding and educating the public on the work that Filipinas have done and continue to do to develop, liberate, and uplift the country.
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Aptly named after a key figure in the 1896 Philippine Revolution, the Tandang Sora Women’s Museum is now open, 213 years after the birth of Melchora Aquino (although new research indicates that the historical icon might have been born only 189 years ago, in 1836). Located within the Tandang Sora National Shrine in Brgy. Tandang Sora, Quezon City, it officially began receiving visitors on February 19.
Designed by the architectural team from Arc Lico, the two-story museum features the traditional bahay-na-bato style reminiscent of the Philippines’ colonial era. Inside, the space is allocated to provide visitors with a well-rounded museum experience, curated by visual artist Sandra Torrijos. There are two galleries on the first floor: One features specially commissioned and curated multimedia artworks by Kathleen Dagum, Gabi Nazareno, Lilay, and more that depict the multifaceted experience of Filipino womanhood. The other displays books written about, for, and by women, with a reading area provided. There is also an audiovisual area and a creativity space named Isip at Gawa, where visitors are provided with materials to express themselves through doodles and scribbles. Fitting a women’s museum, the first floor has a lactation room, too, where mothers can breastfeed their kids or pump milk in comfort and privacy.
Meanwhile, the upstairs area is divided into 12 sections, plus a special exhibition space and the curator’s office. Underscoring the Filipino women’s active role in Philippine development, several of the museum’s exhibits detail how they have led movements that prompted societal reform, serving as freedom fighters, peacebuilders, and unionists not just during pivotal historical events but also in contemporary times. Their contributions in the spheres of arts, sports, science, and media are also acknowledged.
Visitors can also read up on the babaylan’s importance in Filipino spirituality in their role as community leaders during the Philippines’ pre-colonial era. Babaylans were predominantly women, and they functioned as priestesses, warriors, healers, and mediators. Datus or head chefs also sought their counsel. Sadly, the introduction of Catholic Christianity and patriarchal culture by the Spanish colonization resulted in their persecution, leading to the loss of the babaylans’ esteemed stature in society and the erasure of their indigenous healing practices.
The museum doesn’t shy away from the stark reality of women’s hardships, from the plight of the comfort women during the Japanese occupation to the ongoing fight for gender equality. A wall featuring photos of influential Filipinas — from esteemed journalists to world-class artists and political leaders — also deliberately leaves them unnamed. As fun as it is for visitors to play a guessing game with the pictures, the question “Sino sila?” placed right at the center of the display is a sobering reminder that women’s contributions are still not as valued, let alone acknowledged, as those of men.
Of course, Tandang Sora’s heroism and bravery are running themes throughout the museum that carries her name. Deemed as the “Ina ng Katipunan at Himagsikan,” the revolutionary’s acts of bravery and kindness are enduring inspirations, especially since she wasn’t deterred by her advanced age from doing her part in the liberation of the country. Visitors can learn more about her life before, during, and after her involvement with the Philippine Revolution in a special section, as well as glean some of the lesser-known aspects of her domestic life.
In celebration of Women’s Month, entrance to the museum is free for the whole of March. Beyond Women’s Month, admission is only Php50, with the fee waived for Quezon City residents, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities (PWD).
The Tandang Sora Women’s Museum is located within the Tandang Sora National Shrine, Banlat Road, Quezon City. It is open from 9 am to 4 pm from Tuesday to Sunday.
