Feeling relaxed and a bit Zen-ned from the yoga session we had at Community Fitness in Pasig, myself, Christine, and Ferdz—who was also our Yogi teacher that morning—decided to do some urban exploration. “I have a barber appointment in Marikina plus a friend is inviting me to try out the James Dean Café; you can come with me,” Ferdz told us. So, off we went to the city known for its shoe industry, city-wide bike lanes, and a thriving local food scene.
After Yoga: Learning Trip to the Book Museum cum Ethnology Center in Marikina
My First Time in a Book Museum
After our stop at the barbershop for Ferdz’ haircut, we proceeded to the James Dean Café—and for the record, Dean is different from James Deen alright—which was named after the 1950s Hollywood idol who starred in classic films such as East of Eden, Giant, and Rebel Without a Cause before a tragic car accident took his life at a young age.
Turns out the café is owned by REX Bookstore founder Mr. Dominador Buhain, and located right next door to it is a Book Museum housing a stunning collection of rare volumes spanning genres of world literature.
According to one of the staff members of the Book Museum who also stood as our guide, Mr. Buhain opened the museum in 2013 because he wanted to share his personal collection of books gathered from his worldly travels. A life of endless journeying that took him to at least 215 countries around the world and every single province of the Philippines. It has become a habit of his—an expensive yet fulfilling one—to score a rare book as a treasured travel souvenir.
The entrance to the museum was already popping with visual pleasure. There is a statue of Mr. Buhain’s parents standing atop a stack of concrete books and a wall featuring a stunning spread of vibrant murals depicting Marikina's various landmarks and cultural symbols—painted by distinguished Filipino artist Leo Aguinaldo—leading straight to the entrance.
Miniature Books and Other Limited Edition Collections
I am a proud book junkie, and if ever I had material things to bring to a tiny home by the beach, it would be my own book collection stacked on shelves. Imagine finding myself inside a book museum, reading titles that say "first edition" and even examining volumes that are too small to read normally. Indeed, because Mr. Buhain’s impressive collection includes incredible miniature books.
Among the tiniest books you can see here are the Lord's Prayer printed at the Gutenberg Museum, measuring a mere 3.3 mm x 3.3 mm in size, the smallest edition of The Little Prince, and a collection of William Shakespeare's 40 published works all in their exquisite miniature editions.
Other limited and first-edition copies include Uncle Tom's Cabin, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and the Doctrina Christiana—considered one of the earliest books printed in the Philippines—alongside several others.
The Ethnology Center’s Cordillera Artifacts
After being wowed by the Book Museum’s worldly collection of literary works, the guide led us next door to another fascinating room. This time, a second museum doubling as an Ethnology Center focusing on the history, culture, and indigenous peoples from the Cordilleras and Southern Philippines awaited our eager minds.
Inside, one can see an impressive set of Cordillera and Southern Philippines artifacts—which includes numerous 7th-to-10th-century stone sculptures found in the Gigantes Islands. The guide told us how these displayed items are very important for Mr. Buhain to impart to visitors: "He wants more people to learn the culture of the Cordillera people through these artifacts devoid of foreign influence."
There's a life-sized lungon—the wooden coffin prevalent in Sagada back in the old days when locals used to bury their loved ones in hanging coffins. There is also a collection of necklaces, head crowns, and other body adornments worn by the feared Igorot headhunters of many centuries past.
The manner in which Mr. Buhain collated all these historical and cultural items reminds me of the meticulous curating done by Don Ado in his family’s museum at Villa Escudero. The Southern Mindanao collection displays the traditional weapons, jewelry, and royal clothing worn by various tribal royalties in Mindanao.
On our way out, a particular display rack caught our attention. Colorful headwear and hats not only from the Philippines but from all over the world are showcased. Caps, bonnets, sunhats, fedoras, trilbies, boaters—you name it, it’s all there in various shapes and vibrant colors.
The three of us—myself, Christine, and Ferdz—all agreed that this Book Museum cum Ethnology Center in Marikina is a severely underrated spot that more people should know about. The amount of information housed within its walls is astounding and serves as valuable knowledge not only for young students, but for grown-ups as well.
