Following the mass at the Taal Basilica, we decided to explore the heritage town. Our initial destination was Galleria Taal, recognized as the first camera museum in the Philippines.

The camera museum finds its home in the Ilagan-Barrion Ancestral House, constructed in 1870 and once the residence of Domingo Ilagan, Maria Martinez-Ilagan, and their six children. In 2010, their grandson Emmanuel Inumerable converted the house into a public venue, establishing the camera museum known as Galleria Taal.

As a museum, Galleria Taal displays Emmanuel Inumerable’s extensive collection of cameras spanning from the late 1800s to the present day. The museum also features antiquarian photos, including rare images of Manila before and after the Japanese Occupation, the EDSA Revolution, and significant people and events during the Marcos Era. In addition to its gallery and exhibitions, Galleria Taal offers a café and restaurant on the ground floor for visitors to enjoy.