Jumalon Museum, Butterfly Sanctuary and Art Gallery is a private museum, an art gallery and a nature reserve run by the Jumalon Foundation. Established in 1974, this is the country’s oldest butterfly collection and butterfly sanctuary. Originally, this establishment served as the residence of Julian Jumalon, a late Cebuano lepidopterist, whose passion was the reason for this to come to existence. The sanctuary has live immature and adult stages of local butterflies in their natural settings.
The Jumalon Butterfly Sanctuary offers an exclusive abode to the butterflies as they are not controlled within an enclosure, but rather able to fly liberally in the area. At approximately 50 different types of rare and exotic butterflies composes the area. An average visitor may be able to spot at least 10 to 15 of these butterfly types on any given day. There are also over 100 different types of plant species that provide food for the butterflies, making it a paradise for those nature lovers.
The museum serves as a comprehensive source of education. Complete life histories of butterfly species are also available in the sanctuary. This serves as a precious tool for biology students working on their theses.
The oldest existing collection of butterflies with specimens dating back to the 1930's and some of the most wanted butterflies in the world can also be found.
The sanctuary also houses an Art Gallery which depicts paintings and art works of the late Professor Julian Jumalon. It also features a description of the artist professor’s dedication to art and a collection of the paintings including a number of his lepido-mosaics, cottages utilizing butterfly wings as its medium.
The sanctuary and gallery is located in Macopa St. Basak, Pardo, Cebu City, Philippines.
History
Dr. Jumalon amassed a vast collection of butterflies through his travels and by trading local Philippine species with foreign ones. Jumalon's fascination with Lepidopterans did not just end in having them preserved and framed. He wanted the butterflies close by especially the rare ones. So to invite these insects he planted his residence with butterfly food plants. He also caught live specimens and released them in his garden.
At his death, a foundation was created by his children to foster to his collection and the compound which, prior to the founder's death, has become a tourist attraction.
Inside the compound is a salon and garden. The garden is a collection of a hundred butterfly food plant species. Among these plants flutters around 50 local and foreign species of butterflies. Some rare species are kept in captivity.
Inside the salon is Dr. Jumalon's collection of butterflies and other insects. Also found inside is the histories of butterfly species. The salon also houses the paintings and other works of Dr. Jumalon, who was also an artist. Most popular among his works is his mosaics made entirely of butterfly wings (lepido mosaic). These mosaics depict several places around Cebu City. There is a mosaic of Colon Street as how it looked during Dr. Jumalon's times.
Today, museum is currently managed by Humaida Jumalon, daughter of the late renowned lepidopterist, Professor Julian Jumalon. Curator and owner Humaida noted that butterflies are specific to a particular plant for the laying of their larvae (young). If a plant becomes extinct or scarce, it will also mean the existence of that particular butterfly is threatened. To prevent this, she actively and publicly lobbies for the plants perpetuation. Many are considered as weeds and are slowly being denuded from the riverbanks. To inform the public about the need to preserve butterfly ecosystems, she is in the process of writing a book on Philippine flora specifically to encourage and sustain butterflies in our midst.
Aside from plants, Humaida is knowledgeable about scents that attract butterflies.. Butterflies are attracted to a flower for nectar and scents are a "come hither" signal. She demonstrated to us how some locally manufactured perfumes entice the fluttering beauties. It was fun to see the butterflies hover around as soon as she sprayed the fragrance. To further lure the butterflies to her garden, Humaida adorned the place with brightly colored sponges drenched with her formulated syrups aimed at keeping the butterflies healthy.
To help sustain the museum and to raise much needed funds, the sanctuary sells cultured butterflies, which are popularly used for release at weddings and parties. These help to propagate the butterfly population in the wild.
Jumalon Butterfly Sanctuary remains open for the general public from 0800hrs to 1700hrs daily. There is a nominal entry fee that is charged from the visitors, which amounts to around PhP 50.
The contact detail of the butterfly sanctuary in Cebu City is as follows:
Jumalon Butterfly Sanctuary, Museum and Art Gallery
20-D Macopa Street,
Basak, Pardo, Cebu City
Phone: +63-32-261-6884
Curator and Owner: Humaida Jumalon
