Bote't Dyaryo Museum @ Escolta

I have been to Escolta countless times before but I never knew that there is a museum there. When I sought the help of Mr. Manny Encarnacion two weeks ago for my research on glass bottles, he referred me to Bote't Dyaryo Museum in Escolta, Manila and that was how I learned of the museum's existence. I visited the place yesterday, Sept. 12, 2011.

The museum is located at the second floor of Calvo Building. It's not hard to miss, just look for Mercury Drug and Tropical Hut. The ground floor of the building has old photos of Escolta before. The building also houses the country's oldest elevator, according to a guy who works there. It reminds me of the lift in the movie "Titanic".

The door to the bottles collection is made of depression glass with iron grills. As one enters, one immediately notices the lack of oxygen inside. The windows are closed and the airconditioning was turned off. I immediately set to work, noting down the different glass bottles in the collection, not minding the lack of oxygen, but thanking the owner of the museum for his collections. I never knew we had a glass bottles museum. (But now I know.)

Some of my most interesting finds are the Pond's bottles which were of porcelainous glass. Old Coca-Cola bottles are a must, of course. I was surprised to find Royal Tru-Lemon, perhaps a precursor of Royal Tru-Orange. I didn't know that RC Cola was already in existent in the early 1900s. I asked my dad about it and he said the current RC Cola was just a revival. There were also a cabinet full of cobalt blue bottles, which I personally love the most for their uniqueness. There are also ink bottles, several wine, beer, and water bottles, among others. It is also curious to find weird-sounding medicine names embossed on some bottles.

Other things to check out are the dioramas of prominent landmarks in Escolta in early times, with information and advertisements regarding them. Newspaper clippings and ads can be found inside the room opposite the bottles museum.

Entrance is P50. Minimum of 5 persons required for the tour. The museum is open Mondays to Saturdays, 9am-3pm with lunch break 12nn-1pm.