The Banaan Museum, Pangasinan’s provincial museum, has recorded 15,474 visitors since its opening in September 2023, generating PHP616,000 in entrance fees and PHP94,000 in sales from its souvenir shop as of January 2025.

In an interview on Wednesday, Designate Deputy Museum Director Nathaniel Daroy said the majority of visitors were students aged 11-20, followed by young professionals aged 21-30.

The museum charges an entrance fee of PHP200 for adults and tourists, PHP160 for senior citizens and persons with disabilities, and PHP100 for children and students.

Located in the provincial capital, the museum features 11 galleries showcasing artifacts, artworks, interactive displays, and installations that highlight Pangasinan’s cultural heritage.

It also houses the Banaan Museum Shop, which sells locally crafted products, including bamboo and buri handicrafts, rattan bags, upcycled wood items, and artworks.

Also, 24 active concessionaires from different towns in Pangasinan offer refreshments to visitors.

Daroy said the museum will launch a new promotion even this February in celebration of National Arts Month. Details will be announced on its official social media pages.

Meanwhile, Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office (PTCAO) head Maria Luisa Elduayan revealed that the museum has attracted foreign guests from the United States, Denmark, Korea, Indonesia, Samoa, France, Japan, Vietnam, Bulgaria, Britain, Thailand, Malaysia, and Germany, based on online visitor registrations.

The museum has also drawn visitors from various provinces across the country.

Pangasinan Governor Ramon Guico III, in a statement, emphasized the relevance of having local museums.

He said the structure symbolizes the identity of Pangasinan as it also serves as a doorway to understanding the province’s culture, history, and arts. (PNA)