Museu da Marioneta

The Puppet Museum’s collection consists of over 3,000 items, including puppets, stage props, scenery, and paper theatres.

The Museum preserves not only one of the most significant and comprehensive collections of traditional Portuguese puppets, but also an important array of pieces from various parts of the world. In the long-term exhibition circuit, visitors can discover various traditional puppet types — shadow puppets, glove puppets, string puppets, rod puppets, puppets with a central control rod, mixed techniques, and even stop-motion puppets (used in animation cinema).

The Museum places special emphasis on the art of puppetry in Portugal, starting from the late 19th century. The oldest puppets on display are the centenary Bonecos de Santo Aleixo, originally from the Alentejo region and currently on temporary loan from CENDREV (Dramatic Centre of Évora). These are followed by the traditional Robertos, created by puppeteers such as Faustino Duarte and Joaquim Pinto.

The 1970s and 1980s are particularly well represented by the works of Helena Vaz, from the company Marionetas de São Lourenço e o Diabo, as well as puppets by artists like Ildeberto Gama, Dalton Assef, and José Carlos Barros — the latter being responsible for the impressive set of puppets from the Dom Quixote altarpiece, on loan from the National Museum of Theatre and Dance.

The Robertos and their “European cousins” are also featured, along with European puppets from the 20th century.

Outside of Europe, the Museum holds significant examples from the East — notably from China, India, and Indonesia — as well as African puppets associated with the Sogobó ritual (Mali), which are part of the Francisco Capelo Collection.