Challenging the notion that museum excellence is concentrated in the capital, the HAU Center for Kapampangan Studies (CKS) secured two awards at the inaugural Ang MUSEO Awards held at the National Museum of the Philippines in Manila, October 22.

CKS received the Educational Institution Museum of the Year award and Permanent Exhibition of the Year for its Vicente Manansala Gallery, placing the Pampanga-based institution among the country’s first recipients of the national museum recognition program.

The center submitted four entries, including Museum Program: QR Code on Sintra Board and Temporary Exhibit: Felipe Sonsong Exhibit. All four underwent preliminary screening and final judging by the Museum Foundation of the Philippines, Inc. (MFPI) Board of Trustees.

For CKS Associate Director Myra Lopez, the recognition extends beyond the university, reflecting the cultural value of the Kapampangan community whose history and heritage the center works to preserve.

“As an employee of Holy Angel University, I am proud,” Lopez said. “If you want to know your roots, your heritage, your culture, just go to CKS.”

CKS Curator Alex Castro likewise emphasized how the achievement challenges the perception that distinctions in museum excellence belong primarily to institutions in Metro Manila.

“The recognition gives us a sense of credibility, authority… Yung akala lang ng mga tao na, Manila lang,’ we just debunked it,” Castro said.

A Kapampangan artist at the center

Among the award-winning entries, the Vicente Manansala Gallery highlights the legacy of the Kapampangan artist and National Artist for Painting, who was born in Macabebe, Pampanga.

Housed in four former classrooms, the gallery traces Manansala’s life and artistic development through his works, beginning with his earlier realistic paintings and native motifs before moving toward his later Cubist style. It also features studies for the 14 Stations of the Cross, personal memorabilia, and materials documenting his recognition as a National Artist.

For Castro, the gallery’s significance is not limited to the artworks themselves but also to the discovery that such an extensive collection is housed outside Metro Manila.

“The first thing that they told me was, ‘Oh, my God, we didn’t even know that there’s a Manansala there, the biggest collection of sketches and artwork,’” he recalled.

Although approximately 200 to 250 items are currently displayed, Castro said the broader collection consists of thousands of pieces, including sketchbooks and other materials. Their arrangement allows visitors to follow the artist’s evolving techniques and artistic vision rather than encounter the works as isolated pieces.

Lopez underscored the significance of preserving Manansala’s works in his home province, giving Kapampangans an opportunity to appreciate an artist whose roots are part of their own cultural history.

Castro also shared that Manansala’s heirs gave CKS the first option to acquire the works at a special price, connecting the collection’s presence in Pampanga to the artist’s wish to leave part of his legacy close to his roots.

For the curator, no single artwork defines the gallery. Each piece contributes to a larger narrative of Manansala’s life, creative development, and connection to the community he came from.

More than displaying artifacts

Beyond safeguarding artworks and historical objects, CKS approaches museum curation as a way of making cultural narratives accessible and meaningful to visitors.

“Every piece, kasi, tells a story…So, pag inalis mo yung isang piraso na yun, hindi na mabubuo yung kuwento,” Castro said.

Lopez similarly explained that the objects displayed at the center are selected not merely for their visual appeal but for the historical and cultural significance they carry.

“It has its purpose. It has a story, and it should tell you who you really are,” she said.

This educational mission also extends beyond the physical galleries. CKS incorporates digital kiosks, QR codes, augmented reality, mobile and web applications, interactive games, short videos, and virtual tours to make cultural learning more accessible, particularly to younger audiences.

Among these initiatives is a QR code program containing digital copies of publications on Kapampangan culture and history, which the center distributes free of charge to public schools and libraries. Through this initiative, CKS extends its educational resources to communities whose students may not have the opportunity to visit the center.

For Lopez, technology provides a means of connecting generations without diminishing the heritage being preserved.

“Our main purpose now is to bridge the past, the present and the future through the use of technology,” she said, explaining how digital platforms help make cultural education more engaging for younger audiences.

The center also produces publications, films, and other educational materials as part of its wider role as a local study center, bringing its work into classrooms, libraries, and digital spaces beyond its museum premises.

Recognition and its corresponding responsibility

Despite the national recognition, CKS continues to navigate practical challenges, including limited exhibition space and the need to manage its resources. Lopez said the center hopes to have a building of its own, considering that its responsibilities encompass not only exhibitions but also research, publishing, and other cultural initiatives.

For Castro, however, the awards should not serve as the ultimate measure of the center’s work.

“The awards are not the end-all and be-all,” he said, explaining that the recognition affirms CKS’s credibility as a cultural institution while reinforcing the need to sustain its initiatives and pass its work on to future generations.

Lopez echoed this sentiment, viewing the awards as a renewed commitment to the center’s mission rather than simply an institutional achievement.

“We receive them as honors, yes, but it is parang it’s a renewal of our commitment in what we are doing,” she said.

Ultimately, the achievement extends beyond CKS and HAU. Lopez emphasized that the recognition also reflects the cultural significance of Pampanga and the importance of encouraging Kapampangans to appreciate their own heritage.

“Know your roots and be proud of who you are,” said Lopez.

For CKS, the awards affirm that preserving Kapampangan heritage goes beyond safeguarding historical objects and documenting the past. It means keeping cultural narratives accessible so that future generations can understand their origins, recognize themselves in their history, and carry their identity forward.

Ang MUSEO is a biennial national awards program organized by the MFPI that recognizes excellence among museums and museum professionals.

Entries are evaluated based on criteria including the accuracy of museum presentations, fulfillment of institutional objectives, and the design and innovation of exhibitions and visitor experiences.