Travel back in time. More than the history, it is the love of Don Mariano to Maria that caught me here. The strength of the structure that made it still stand to date, is directly similar to the love they have for each other.

Jay Ann is the best tour guide! Very informative and interesting. Tour will take you back and link it to present. Plus, their souvenir shop sells cool art!

The best time to visit this place is at 5pm onwards were lights are switch on. They have 2 restaurants were you can order pizza and beer. Nice place for drinking beer and relaxing.

THE RUINS I was mesmerized by the architectural beauty of this once regal mansion built on a 440 hectare plantation in Talisay City during the Spanish colonial era. The best time to visit is about 15 minutes before dusk. Still have time to enjoy the site with natural light because as the sun sets, the lights turn on and the place becomes magical!

Oldest, well-maintained ancestral house which is now a museum. Authentic period furniture. Great story to tell.

Fascinating stories about the house and the family, especially the matriarch who built and sustained her prominence in Negros Occidental and beyond

Heritage house of Tana Dicang can easily be found in the middle of Talisay, Bacolod

If you are an avid fan of the past then this place is for you. The house is dedicated to the people of Negros and so as the it got its name 'Balay Negrense'. There's a lot to discover inside the house. From architectural design to the history of Negros, their kind of clothing, past time activities, glass wares and utensils, home furniture to past appliances. The house is full of awesomeness. Discover it for yourself. 🙂👍🏻

Ancestral house of historical importance was turned to a museum with most of the antiquities and photos are in tact. The house may soon be deemed unfit for public, unless the government agency mandated to preserve history and culture do something about it.

Moment of History in a Jiffy. If you're in a hurry or have little time to spare but want to know more about the Negrense history, do visit this quaint house. The house offers a glimpse of life decades ago, with portraits, preserved furniture and personal items of the ancestors. There's an impressive family tree mounted on a round glass table, which is regularly updated. There were artists creating masterpieces in the house when we visited last March 11, 2022. There's a small souvenir room, too, with various items for sale (key chains, costume jewelry or accessories, paintings, etc.)

I loved this place! It is best to go here during sunset so that you'll get to see it with and without the lights on. There's an entrance fee when you go inside. You can choose 100 for just the entrance fee or 300 consumable which you can use at their restaurant and the entrance is free. Food is great at the restaurant since we had our lunch there. The Ruins is picture perfect outside. There is also a souvenir shop inside. But not much of activities though. Just take pictures and eat.

The Ruins, or the Nutsberry Garden is an amazing place to visit! It's beautiful in the morning and it turns magical at night. If you plan to visit the place, be at the venue around 4:00PM. That will give you enough time to go around the area, know about its history of love and grief, and capture Instagram-worthy photos to share with friends on the digital space. But wait till the sun goes down. You'll see the palace glows in its beauty concealing the ruins of its past. What a magical moment, indeed! I had a great time gazing at the palace, though ruined by an event in the past. It has been made glorious by its rich story and the stories we all create with it thereafter. Enjoy your time at the Ruins! 😃 😃 😃

The best place to go if you want relaxing peace of mind-RUINS

cool vibrations.

Visiting the museum will bring you back to the past. We discovered here some unknown history from Bacolod. The thing I cannot forget is how the girls and boys were separately using their stairs. Two sides of stairs has it's own stories.

One of the best re-adaptive use of a heritage structure in the Philippines. The memorabilia and antiques as well as the architecture and details of the house in itself are stunning but the contemporary art gallery downstairs is a breath of fresh air, giving the house a seamless link to the 21st century. Don't leave Negros without visiting this house!

Well-maintained museum. The flooring is shiny and well kept. The decors are preserved.

Nice place, full of history

Where you get to expwrience Old world charm.

So amazing

An amazing journey back into time!

Must-visit place in Talisay City, Negros for those who are fascinated with old Spanish-Filipino houses.

It was nice esp. The our guide

Nice place. It takes around 20 minutes to see and read everything. You're on your own to explore. Entrance fee is fair.

Beautiful and well preserved and maintain house. Our tour guide discuss each rooms perfectly and with high energy to explained every elite family members in Negros. We love the Santol tree outside the house too. It's one of the most visited houses.

Beautiful house which would tell you the rich Negrense history. If you want a meaningful trip to Negros, it is definitely worth visiting.

Beautifully preserved 19th century mansion. Highly recommended to visit while in Negros Occidental, Philippines

Supplementary photos in the museum needs to be updated. Most are already faded. Tour areas needs to be cleaned like the carpet in the 1st level where a baby grand piano is placed is tattered and has accumulated dirt.

The tour around the house was nice and very informative. Too bad there are sections of the house that are already in bad shape due to leaks. There is a parking area right inside the vicinity.

The museum is really good. I had a great time discovering Bacolodnon culture. They give you free reign on what to see ...except of course some off limits area..the fee is reasonable as the place is well maintained and ventilated. They also offer a tour so that you can have some knowledge about the history of a certain thing or structure in the house.

A famous tourist attraction in Talisay City, Negros. Great to visit at sunset as the fading sunlight gives the house an different facade. The grounds around the Ruins is a nice place to relax.

This place is a testament to the wealth of Negrense Hacienderos during the early 1900. A must visit place if you are a history or architecture enthusiast.

it's an interesting icon in Talisay. travelling back in time to this mansion, aka "the ruins," aka "the tajmahal of the phillipines" located in a middle of huge sugar plantation. The Ruins as popularly known today, was a 2-floor Italianate mansion built during Spanish colonial era. It was burned during WW2 by the American army to avoid from Japanese forces using it as HQ -- rather odd excuse to me, but hey, that's the tale. it's a popular wedding photo site nowadays.

If you want the best photos, come at around 4pm—so you can see The Ruins during daylight, at sunset, and at night when they light it up. We were able to go to and from here via grab, but there are also taxis and trikes waiting in the area. Cane sugar juice and ice cream are available but if you want the full experience, book a table at the GAZEBO. (Check their site for details)

Well if you are interested in checking out old ruins, this is quiet a cool place. It seems that they have a scheduled event on the day that I went there with my friends. It was a hot day so we were running around the fountain trying to get a good shot without the sun burning us up. We were able to get a good picture of the ruins as well. However the neat thing that I saw is the tower that was overgrown by a tree. My friend said it used to be an old sugar mill. I could not figure out how that works but it seems nice. Good place for events and occassions like weddings and debuts.

I've been here twice already and still wish to go back again for many times. The house design are amazing added with beautiful landscape and place are wide enough that can cater more visitors that can take pictures anywhere they wan't.

Ill

No comment.

This was just a stopover on our way to a resort in Negros Occidental, PH. As is the case with ancestral homes, it has a rich history, which is the primary draw of this place. It belongs to one of the prominent families in the area and was built in the early 1900s. For a minimal fee, you will be treated to a guided tour - although it is quite a short and simple one. There are some very good spots that are really nice photo op. There is also a souvenir shop to buy shirts, caps and other keepsakes.

A mansion built by a wealthy sugar baron for his wife. Now in ruins, this place has a souvenir shop inside and a restaurant on the front of the mansion. Now a popular tourist destination in Negros Occidental, this place is also a perfect location for events such as weddings. Best time to visit is in the afternoon (sunset) until evening.

Back to the past

Classic architecture ❤️

Majestic ❤️

Nice

Romantic place

Because it's my hometown

Yay! The place is so beautiful and clean.. It is peaceful as well. If you wanted to have the haciendera vibes this place is really good for you...

Manicured garden and grounds

Scenic location perfect for a escape from the city

very historic, the architecture is impressive

Nixe as not

Serene place

(Translated by Google) Amazing especially at night😍 (Original) Amazing lalo na sa gabi😍

best tourist spot

Relaxing place

Beautiful

Interesting cultural history. Must see for tourists who visit Silay and Bacolod.

Place is nice, not much to see. 100php entrance fee.

The place is so nice. Perfect for prenup pictorials.💖

(Translated by Google) Entrance fee 100 for adult, with cafe inside, nice place nice prenup 😍 (Original) Entrance fee 100 for adult, may cafe sa loob, nice place gandang pang prenup 😍

Only good for picture taking

So love the experience..i hope sometime i will return to this place having my love with me...such a romantic place

The place is not as good as before. There is a fee for the parking space and there is also an entrance fee. The food are very expensive.

Amazing place and an amusing tour guide

Interesting fixtures! This Museum is not gov’t owned, but by Gaston/Gamboa Foundation. Hence the place was well maintained. Guides did a good job on explaining every corner of the ancestral house! Starting from the family tree, local traditions, even how the household were previously kept! You would understand how a haciendero/s typically lived their lives in this home. Even though restored, the guide told us that the floor, wall carvings, grills are kept and were just flipped over. Interesting facts: *They have two sides for the staircase, representing each gender can use. *The staircase itself was counted continuously from the ground floor to 2nd because of luck thingy. *The “what your eyes can see/reach is my property” was applied in their backyard. *Early discrimination between the hacienderos and their maids was present on this house, as explained by the guide.

Balay Negrense is our first stop for our museum hopping! Silay is known for its ancestral houses. Balay Negrense can be translated as House of Negrense whilst Negrense is how the locals in Negros are called. Though the building is an ancestral house of the Gaston family, it has been donated to the public. And because of that, the museum contains memorabilia of not only the Gaston family but it represents the Negrense as a whole. While inside the museum, you will learn a lot of the history of the locals, their livelihood during the colonizarion period and more of their culture.

The museum was great but our tour guide is a SHS immersion student which was not able to tell the story of the house so well. I suggest that they should train their tour guides well. But overall the tour was ok. Some part of the house needs renovation.

Feels like you're back in that time. We enjoyed our time/tour around the house. We can see that the things inside tge house was preserved well.

Balay negrense, the ancestral home of one of the first sugar barons of Negros. It's now a museum which hosts various items for tourists to experience what it's like living in the early days. The tour guide was fantastic. Really recommend going here when traveling in silay city.

The student volunteer who gave us a tour inside the museum was very informative and accommodating.

A taste of Philippines history particularly in Silay City. Trivia: According to the tour guide, this is a 119 years old house built before we were even born, and it was surrounded by sugar plantation or in local term hacienda of Don Gaston (I forgot his exact full name). It was donated by the family, so now its under the authority of a non-government corporation. The structure and some of the wood used are still intact and is well preserved, but some parts of the house was restored because it was abandoned for 12 years. (This was the information I got from our tour guide ☺️). Entrance fee is Php 60.00 for each person.

If you are fund of going to old houses, then this is the place for you. Just a caution though, you might feel some ghost bumps when you see some of their collections like old dolls, a little bit creepy.

Very historic house.

A glimpse of the Negrense life during the 19th Century. The house was turned to a museum where non-Negros people can visit to experience and learn the Silay and Negros history. I enjoyed the free tour from our guide whom are OJT students from tourism university. I just think that there shouldve more shops nearby offering not only souvenir stuff but also food and drinks.

Great place

Nice house

Tried to visit ancestral houses in Silay, unfortunately, I visited on a wrong day. Monday. Museums are closed. Same with all the ancestral houses in Talisay. But the architecture is magnificent. You can really tell that it has a lot of history by just looking at it.

The first museum in the province of Negros containing antiques that showcase the lifestyle of hacienderos in the late 19th-century. A guided tour inside the museum is a must :)

old and beautiful house

The guide is amiable. She even assist us with our photos.

A good experience

(Translated by Google) Negrense House, 135 year old house (Original) Balay Negrense , 135 year old house

Balay Negrense Museum is a house filled with rich history, beautiful architecture and art pieces. From the beautiful filipiñanas, home furnitures and fixtures—it is a nicely curated museum. Entrance fees are less than a hundred pesos. Students, senior citizens & PWD’s also have discounts so don’t forget to bring your IDs.

Lovely place

History and art in one place. Very accommodating staff (we came in super late but we asked nicely, so...). Perfect for the last stop on your city tour.

Not much to see around the house. It needs lot of maintenance to preserve the infrastructure.

Incredible

Thale place is good, but we were prohibited to bring and use our professional cameras, if used they'll need us to pay.

Victor Fernandez Gaston ancestral house It is commonly known as “Balay Negrense”. The house was Built in 1887. The house was constructed when Victor Gaston's wife died and during the time when he was residing in his father's hacienda, Hacienda Buen Retiro. The structure housed Victor Gaston and his twelve children from 1901 to 1927 and abandoned in the mid 1970’s. The museum was officially inaugurated on October 6, 1990. The Victor Fernandez Gaston Ancestral House was donated to the government in 1992. The structure was repaired and furnished with period furniture and fixtures. It is notable for being the first museum to be established in the province of Negros Occidental.Today, It has been converted to a museum

Amazing place, with rich cultural history

its historic place

I enjoyed the place however the tour guides didn't assist me since I was alone. They left me explore the place by myself... I think people should be aware that the 60 php is for a tour inside with a guide.

My ancestral home

Heritage Spanish house

Every year month of June & November... kaon TA silay food festival hield on balay NEGRENSE ground ... this old House own by Gaston family located in cenco de novembre street ... And this is a open to the public museum.....

Living the life of the hacienderos..

Biggest ancestral I've visit!

Very educational specially in history

Very cool museum!

First time to visited the place. I was amazed how beautiful restoration and now one of the most visited museum in the city of Silay. I'm happy that the staffs are friendly.

Just a place where you can bring your visitors around..nothing new..when I came to visit the place it was just but an ordinary 2 storey big haus made of wood and was repainted..just dont know if the color I saw is the new one since I had gone here once before and I think that was white..when you enter the entrance gate you see the tariff you pay if you will explore the house..good pricing since very affordable..the landscaped garden were planted with just an ordinary plants -maybe because they wanted it that way -preserving the aura of the place..At the receiving area u see some old clothes worn during the past era displayed..I didnt find time to go upstairs since from the entrance you see just an ordinary display of that old stuff..I've been to places like this before and was able to appreciate the look of the whole thing because it were properly preserved and cleaned but this time it was just but an ordinary thing..⭐⭐⭐ Sorry no photos to show since I didnt bother to get one..tnx

Recommended to visit when in Bacolod, about 1hr away. There will be a tour of the house for about 30 mins.

I like the way the volunteer guide gave us a short history of the place. It is very informative

It tells the history of Negrenses... How Azucareras started and the famous people from Negros were also displayed.

Love learning Negros' roots and start of the sugar industry through the Gaston's. We had a guided tour upon entry

Nice historical place..

Grand

Oldest house in Negros...open as museum...located in Rizal street talisay city...owned by the Great Kapitana Dicang and Don Efiginio Lizares

Nice place vintage

Amazingly preserved house built in 1883. A visit will take you back in time.

A woman empowered in the world of men . Sugarcane business in Negros Occidental.

A historical place.

Scary house

love it

(Translated by Google) Ita: ancient house owned by a wealthy lady; largely preserved very well; splendid furnishings accompanied by photographs and drawings of the time represent very well the splendor that must have lived the house in that period; the time stops for a moment crossing the rooms (not all of them can be visited but at least visible); I recommend during the visit to have the utmost respect for the exhibits; the garden and the outside are a little 'neglected and show the weight of time that has passed but not going to see it is a real shame since it's only 5 minutes by taxi The Ruins Eng: ancient house owned by a wealthy lady; largely preserved very well; splendid furnishings accompanied by photographs and drawings of the time. the time stops for passing through the rooms (not all of them can be visited but at least visible); I recommend during the visit to have the utmost respect for the exhibits; the garden and the outside are a little neglected and show the weight of The Time That has passed but not going to visit it is a real shame considering That it is only 5 minutes by taxi from The Ruins (Original) Ita: antica casa di proprietà di una ricca signora; in gran parte conservata molto bene; splendidi arredi corredati da fotografie e disegni dell'epoca rappresentano molto bene lo sfarzo che deve aver vissuto la casa in quel periodo; il tempo si ferma per un attimo attraversando le stanze (non tutte visitabili ma quantomeno visibili); raccomando durante la visita di avere il massimo rispetto per gli oggetti esposti; il giardino e l'esterno sono un po' trascurati e mostrano il peso del tempo che è passato ma non andare a visitarla è un vero peccato visto che è a solo 5 minuti di taxi da The Ruins Eng: ancient house owned by a wealthy lady; largely preserved very well; splendid furnishings accompanied by photographs and drawings of the time represent very well the splendor that must have lived the house in that period; the time stops for a moment crossing the rooms (not all of them can be visited but at least visible); I recommend during the visit to have the utmost respect for the exhibits; the garden and the outside are a little neglected and show the weight of the time that has passed but not going to visit it is a real shame considering that it is only 5 minutes by taxi from The Ruins

well preserved house

(Translated by Google) So nice house of funding Cang house of Enrica Lizares Strains (Original) So nice house of dana dicang house of Enrica Alunan Lizares

(Translated by Google) Perfect (Original) Perfecto

KNOW MORE ABOUT TALISAY WHEN YOU GET HERE :)

Good way to see what it was like in the past. It's a big house built quite unlike houses today. It must have been a killer to keep clean. I think more use could be made of the huge open areas outside the house. Maybe some benches and some refreshments?

Entrance was 100/person. Pictorials are also allowed for php1000 for 1hr and 5 person crew.. house was perfectly restored. Very friendly staff. You can also play the piano if you want!

If you're into vintage houses, then this place is a must visit. Though most of the houses in Silay city look similar to this, this place is the only one you could enter and explore since this is the only one open for public. I've been here once for a field trip when I was in Elementary and recently, I came back here to tour my friends from Iloilo.

Amazing tour and amazing museum! Something did touch my sister's neck on the upstairs area though and I'm fairly sure the doll on one of the chairs turned its head to look at me. Wonderful experience.

If you're wondering how large houses in the 1890s look like in the Philippines, then you've come in the right place. Was a bit disappointed that the guide was not around (with the pandemic and such) but I still enjoyed taking a peek at our history and people's lifestyle in Negros Island back then. My top 2 spots here would be the 2nd floor balcony overlooking the main street, and the north-south corridor at the ground floor with large door openings (where they currently sell souvenirs) -- its like there's perpetual wind blowing through the corridor down there. I still have no idea how people from back then make houses that are really cool (as in not hot/humid) inside despite visiting in peak summer with the blazing heat outside and without airconditioning of sorts (no electricity in this spot in the 1890s yet).

A historical place but some of its furnitures are not from the original house. Some are from donations. But still you can see the culture and the way of living of people before. The place also features the works of aspiring young artists...

Must stop when you are in Silay. I appreciate how the Government have the guide suited up like how it was before. Very authentic experience