Before the rise of Makati, Ortigas and Bonifacio Global City (BGC) as business districts, there was only one street in Manila where people go to visit the numerous restaurants, boutiques, shops and department stores that sold the latest clothes, jewelries, etc. It was indeed the go-to place of the elites, businessmen, rich, famous, young and restless people and considered to be the business capital in the early 1900s - ESCOLTA.
Today, if you go to Escolta, you will no longer witness even just a tiny hint of what once a lively, busy street. The only means where you can experience a glimpse of Escolta before was through Escolta Museum located inside the Calvo building.
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| Calvo building's facade. |
The intricate design is a fine example of beaux-arts architecture.
The building opened in 1938 and was built by Edificio Calvo and designed by Fernando Ocampo. It is a fine example of beaux-arts architecture that survived the bombings of the second world war. It is located just in front of the once famous Capitol Theater designed by none other than Juan Nakpil, national artist for Architecture.
The Capitol Theater just in front of Calvo building. The theater is now closed.
For an entrance fee of P50, you can wander through this two-room museum that displays the collection of vintage bottles, print ads, movie posters, music sheets, still photos, newspaper articles, journals and publications from the early 1900s.
Upon reaching the second floor and entrance to the museum, you will be greeted by still photos of the destruction of Escolta during war.
The smaller room houses the newspaper articles, journals and publications from the Spanish and American period.
The nearby room and the larger one has the collection of vintage bottles, print ads and movie posters.
Movie posters from the golden age. Have you ever wonder what Gloria
Romero, Charito Solis, Rosa Rosal and other artists looked like when
they were younger?
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| Music Sheets |
Long before Bb. Pilipinas, the most beautiful women in the country compete in a pageant known as Carnival.
Some of the vintage bottles on display. They have a wide collection of soda, ink, medicine bottles, etc.
Samples of print ads. The price of a Ford car is P795 which is a lot back then.
Escolta museum does not have much collections to fully transport you back in time but it is a good reminder that the Escolta we knew today is far from how it was before. It was the birthplace of luxury, social gatherings and was once an epitome of elegance and beauty of Old Manila.
Escolta Museum
Calvo Building
266 Escolta St. cor. Soda Street
Binondo, Manila
open Mondays to Fridays, 9am to 5pm and Saturdays, 9am to 12nn
Entrace fee is P50 each (P20 for students)
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