Rizal Museum

Outside Metro Manila, the University of Southern Philippines Foundation is probably the only institution that has acquired a rich collection of memorabilia owned by our national hero, Jose Rizal. The Rizaliana Museum came to life because of clamor in 1950 for a repository for the personal belongings of the Philippines' national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal.

The University has in its possession the original checkered winter coat and overcoat of the hero.  Other Rizal belongings include two evening white shirts, checkered winter pants, winter vest, cotton blue-stripped summer pants, a cotton collarless white shirt, and undershirt, cotton shirt cuffs, two pairs of socks and horse-riding breeches.

These personal belongings of Rizal were donated by Doña Trinidad, Rizal’s younger sister to the University.   Her niece, Concepcion Herbosa, the daughter of Mariano Herbosa and Lucia Rizal was married to the former USPF Vice President Escolastico Duterte.  She promised to donate the personal belongings of her brother when she visited USPF on February 11, 1951.   Doña Trinidad wanted to give her niece the cherished possessions of our national hero.  A few months later, she died of old age.

Other items donated by Doña Trinidad Rizal were:

  • Original KKK flag, given by Dona Marcela Agoncillo
  • Original letters of Josephine Bracken-Rizal
  • 1899 and 1900 copies of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo with its original receipt from Chofre Printing Company
  • 1906 complete set of Jose Rizal memorabilia postcards
  • 1906 handkerchief, with prints of the song entitled “Canto Patriotico de Maria Clara”
  • Photographed manuscripts of Noli me Tnagere and El Filibusterismo

Clich here to view some of the our Rizaliana artifacts

Inside the Rizaliana museum, one can also find so many interesting things owned by Jose Rizal or related to him. The original sketch book of Dr. Jose Rizal with Josephine Bracken as his model is on display there, as well as pictures of Rizal's foreign associates, namely, Prof. de Wrecker, Dr. T.H. Pardo de Tavera, Dr. A.B. Meyer, Luis Taviel de Andrade, Francisco Pi y Margall, Dr. Ferdinand Blumentritt, Dr. Rudolf Virchow, and Dr. Lorenzo Marquez. Also on display in the museum are the original letters of Josephine Bracken-Rizal, as well as Bracken's letter to the director of "Oceania Española" defending Rizal from the director's unfair attack and the campaign against Rizal.

Other interesting Rizaliana include the receipt from Cho Fre Co. for printing Rizal's book, a letter to Jose Rizal from Paez dated June 19, 1892, and his report card from the Instituto de Mujeres in 1912. There is also a statuette of Pepe (the young Jose Rizal) with his dog, Berganza.

Rizal's artistic works are available for public viewing in the museum, as well: Pilosopong Tasyo, Oyang, a carving of a Dapitan girl, a boar, a carving of Josephine Bracken, painting of a head of a woman, and a crayon sketch of Leonor Rivera.

Also housed inside the museum is an item donated by Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal—a replica of the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which Rizal carved while he was studying in Ateneo. Former USP Vice President Skolastico Duterte's collection of Rizal's legal and medical books written in the 19th century is also on display in the museum.

Pictures of Rizaliana historical spots are the following: the tomb of Rizal, inscribed with "RPJ"—Rizal's initials in reverse—that marked the actual spot of his burial place while keeping the site unknown to the Spaniards; the spot of his execution; his home in Dapitan; his prison cell; and the place where he was baptized. Photos of Rizal's relics hosted by the museum include those of his eye instruments, a silver pen, pistols, and a letter opener, as well as photos of all the women he loved or said to have been associated romantically with him: Segunda Katigbak of Lipa, Leonor Rivera of Tarlac, Gertrude Becket of London, O Sei San of Japan, Suzanne Jacoby of Brussels, Nelly Bousted of Biarritz, and Josephine Bracken of Ireland who became his wife. Other pictures include Rizal's winter overcoat, his scholastic records, handwriting samples, portraits, family picture, and his personal photos taken at different ages

Rizal's family picture put on display shows the Rizals' eldest daughter, Doña Saturnina, followed by Don Paciano, Doña Narcisa (third), Doña Olimpia (fourth), Doña Lucia (fifth), Doña Maria (sixth), Dr. Jose Rizal (seventh), Doña Concepcion (eighth), Doña Josefa (ninth), Doña Trinidad (tenth), and Doña Soledad (youngest).

The museum is open to the general public and is located at the second floor of the Alumni Hall Building In the Lahug Campus. People who visit the museum are usually students comming from the Visayas and Mindanao regions because of its educational relevance in Philippine History. The entrance fee is thirty-five pesos for adults and a discounted rate of fifteen pesos for students. The museum

The Rizaliana museum had received a plaque of Recognition from the National Centennial Commission and another plaque from the Cebu City Government in 1998 for their project called the "Rizaliana Traveling Museum," which had traveled not only to 17 cities in the Philippines, but also to Chicago and Los Angeles in 1999.

To this day, the donated original items are proudly displayed to the public at the University of Southern Philippines Foundation’s Museum.  A legacy of the hero to the Filipino people.

Rizal Museum

The University


History Downloads

Want to know more about our University's history in detail?

Just click on the link below to view or download the following articles in PDF format.