Casa Manila Hours, Tickets and Address

The Intramuros Administration lists Casa Manila as open Tuesday to Sunday, from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Last entry is at 5:00 PM, so arriving close to closing time cuts the visit short. Monday is the closed day.

An older Intramuros Administration guide page listed weekend-only hours, with weekday visits by appointment for groups. That schedule is outdated: the current Intramuros Administration hours page gives Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

A regular ticket is ₱75, and a discounted ₱50 rate applies to several groups. Those groups are children under 18, senior citizens 60 and over, students, persons with disabilities and government employees. Bring a valid ID for any discounted ticket. There is no separate rate for foreign visitors, so a foreign adult pays the regular ₱75. Some third-party listings describe entry as free, but the Intramuros Administration lists the paid rates above.

The house stands in the Plaza San Luis Complex, at General Luna corner Real Streets, inside the walled city. For the wider picture of the city, our Manila attractions guide places Intramuros among the other major sights.

• Opening Hours
  • The Intramuros Administration lists Casa Manila as open Tuesday to Sunday, from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
  • Last entry is at 5:00 PM, according to the Intramuros Administration's hours and fees page.
• Closed Day
  • Casa Manila is closed every Monday, so plan Intramuros sightseeing around that gap.
• Regular Admission
  • The regular adult rate is ₱75, as set by the Intramuros Administration.
  • The Intramuros Administration does not list a separate rate for foreign visitors.
• Discounted Admission
  • A discounted rate of ₱50 applies to children under 18, seniors 60 and over, and students.
  • Persons with disabilities and government employees also pay ₱50, and every discount requires a valid ID.
• Address
  • Casa Manila sits in the Plaza San Luis Complex, at General Luna corner Real Streets in Intramuros.
• Guided Tours
  • Guided tours are not included in the ticket, and the Intramuros Administration points visitors to its Directory of Tour Guides.

A 1980s Reconstruction, Not an Original

Casa Manila is not a surviving Spanish-era house. It is a 1980s reconstruction made under Imelda Marcos and designed by architect J. Ramon L. Faustmann. Some listings give a construction date of around 1850, but that date belongs to the older house its facade copies, not to Casa Manila itself.

Its facade copies a house from the 1850s that once stood on Calle Jaboneros in Binondo, Manila's Chinese district. Wikipedia identifies that original as the San Nicolas House.

The house has three floors of stone and wood and follows the bahay na bato layout, with a stone ground level and living floors above. Its windows use capiz shell panes, wooden persiana louvers and sliding ventanillas.

Knowing this up front is the useful part, since the museum is a recreation of a late Spanish colonial lifestyle rather than a preserved family home.

What You See Inside Casa Manila

The visit moves upward through the three floors. Ground level holds a stone-paved zaguan and patio with stables, and the entresuelo mezzanine above holds the master's despacho, or office.

The upper floor is where the house shows its wealth. The sala holds gilded 19th-century European furniture, a square grand piano and a mirror bearing the crest of the Yriarte family.

The Intramuros Administration describes rooms furnished in late-19th-century style, with European and Chinese furniture, crystal chandeliers, carved traceries and Chinese ceramics.

1. Zaguan and Patio
   • The stone-paved ground level includes the zaguan, the patio and the stables.
2. Entresuelo and Despacho
   • The entresuelo mezzanine holds the master's despacho, or office.
3. Caida, Sala and Oratorio
   • Upstairs, the caida and grand sala lead toward the oratorio, the family chapel.
4. Blue Room and Master Bedroom
   • These private rooms show the furnishings of an affluent family in the late nineteenth century.
5. Dining Room, Kitchen and Azotea
   • The dining room, a 19th-century kitchen, the bathing area and the rooftop azotea complete the route.

Getting to Casa Manila and Nearby Stops

Casa Manila stands directly across from San Agustin Church, which makes the church a handy landmark. The house is in the Plaza San Luis Complex at the corner of General Luna and Real streets, on a block bounded by Calle Real, General Luna, Cabildo and Urdaneta streets. The block sits in Barrio San Luis, one of the four original villages of Intramuros.

The nearest rail stop is LRT Line 1 Central Terminal station. Wikipedia notes that commuters heading to Intramuros are usually advised to take the Lawton underpass at the Lawton Bus Terminal. From there, head into the walled city toward San Agustin Church.

Also in Intramuros is Fort Santiago. The Intramuros Administration, a Department of Tourism agency that manages the tourist sites inside the walled city, runs Casa Manila. During the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 it temporarily closed Casa Manila along with Fort Santiago and the Museo de Intramuros.

Other Manila sights to pair with a visit include the National Museum of Fine Arts and Rizal Park.

Planning Mistakes to Avoid

The most common mistake is turning up on a Monday, when Casa Manila is closed. Tuesday to Sunday are the open days, so lock in the date before building the rest of the day around it.

A second mistake is assuming the ticket includes a guide. It does not, so anyone wanting spoken context should look at the Intramuros Administration's Directory of Tour Guides in advance.

Discount hunters should also carry ID, since the ₱50 rate depends on proof of age, student status or another qualifying category. Without it, the regular ₱75 rate applies.

Finally, treat the house as an interpretation rather than evidence of a single family's life. Its value lies in showing the layout, materials and furnishings of a bahay na bato home.