museo pambata (elks club building)

The Museo Pambata, which opened in December 21, 1994, is a children's interactive museum, the first of its kind in the Philippines. What most people don't probably know is that this museum was the Elks Club Building during the American Period.

Facade of the Old Elks Club Building

Here is a little bit of history of the building according to the book Imperial Tapestry:

"Because of homesickness, a group of former American soldiers turned businessmen, petitioned the Elk Headquarters in New YorkCity for the establishment of a clubhouse
in the Philippines. Upon approval of the petition, the first clubhouse of the Elks Club (formerly Clubhouse of the Order of the Elks) was established along Calle Victoria
in Intramuros. Then, in 1904, it moved to Calle Luis opposite the Old Luneta. Finally, in 1911, it built its permanent home at the site (that was used to be occupied by the Manila Overseas Press Club), now occupied by the Museong Pambata ng Maynila. Following the proposal of Daniel Burnham as to the location of recreational buildings in his Manila Plan, the Elks Club (the only Elks Club established outside of the US) was housed ina three-story building with features similar to its neighbor, the Army Navy Club. It was destroyed during the war afterwhich a two-story edifice was built by the Cojuangco family in February 1949. It was later acquired by the Philippine government. Besides holding convention, publications, and engaging in civic works, the clubhouse served as the meeting place of American businessmen.

Here are excerpts from the essay "Heritage Site Becomes the Museo Pambata" about the Elks Club and the Museo Pambata:

The heritage Elks Club building was one of a series of monumental buildings specified for the Luneta in the Daniel Burnham plan for Manila. The Elks Club was designed by the American architect William Parsons in 1908-1910, inthe vocabulary of Manila's radiant, new "City Beautiful" style. Educated at Yale, Columbia and the prestigious Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, Parsons came to Manilato implement the Burnham plan. The original Elks Club building has been totally recycled for its new life as a children's museum. No alterations were made that defaced the original architecture. The Museo Pambata completely respects the architecture of Parsons and is one of the city's few first rate examples of architectural reuse. The interactive exhibits electricity, human body, the rural and urban Filipino lifestyle, turn-of-the-century Spanish colonial Manila. Replicas of Filipino-Hispanic colonial homes and churches, scaled down to child size can be entered, felt, understood. There is a stationary tranvia to ride, as well as a galleon to stand on.

Museo Pambata ng Maynila

According to the Museo Pambata website, the museum owes its existence to Nina Lim-Yuson and former Department of Social Welfare and Development secretary Estefania Aldaba-Lim who both shared enthusiasm over the idea of having a children’s museum in the country. Museo Pambata features hands-on exhibits that encourage children to explore and discover various concepts while they play. Museo Pambata has eight theme rooms: (1) Kalikasan/Environment; (2) Maynila Noon/Old Manila; (3) Bata sa Mundo/Children in the Global Village; (4) Tuklas!/Science Through Discovery; (5) Paglaki Ko/Career Options; (6) Craft Room; (7) Pamilihang Bayan/Marketplace (8) Katawan Ko/Body Works

SOURCES:
Texts: Imperial Tapestry: American Colonial Architecture in the Philippines
by Norma I. Alarcon, Fuap; p. 82
Lugar: Essays on Philippine Heritage and Architecture
by Augusto F. Villalon; pp. 146-150
Museo Pambata Website

Images: Facade of the Old Elks Club Building from the Imperial Tapestry: American Colonial Architecture in the Philippines by Norma I. Alarcon, Fuap; p. 82
Museo Pambata from Museo Pambata Website