Puppet Museum
The Puppet Museum is the first museum in Portugal entirely dedicated to the world of puppetry — its history, techniques, and the promotion of puppet theatre, with a special focus on puppetry in the national context.
The collection includes pieces from various parts of the world, representing different manipulation techniques and typologies: shadow puppets, glove puppets (the most popular in Europe, such as the Robertos, Guignol, and Punch & Judy), string puppets from Europe, India, China, and Burma, rod puppets (like the emblematic Bonecos de Santo Aleixo from the Alentejo region), and mixed-manipulation puppets, such as the Italian pupi.
Puppetry in Portugal during the 1970s and 1980s — a key period in the development of this art form — is particularly well represented, with puppets created for various theatrical works: puppets manipulated in full view of the audience (such as the creations of Helena Vaz, Marionetas de São Lourenço, and O Diabo), as well as works by authors like José Carlos Barros, Ildeberto Gama, Dalton Assef, among others. The collection also features a remarkable group of Sogobó puppets from Mali, on loan from collector Francisco Capelo. Additionally, there is a room dedicated to the role of puppets in animated cinema, with examples used in stop-motion films.
Open to all audiences, the Museum shares knowledge about the art of puppetry through its permanent exhibition and strong connections with puppeteers and creators, promoting both traditional forms and contemporary, innovative approaches to this performing art.
The Educational Department is one of the Museum’s core pillars. Through guided tours, workshops, long-term projects, and other initiatives, it offers activities focused on puppetry, its creation, manipulation, and intersections with other artistic languages, aimed at a diverse audience.
The Museum also houses a specialized documentation center, open to the public by appointment, which holds photographs, posters, various documents, and video recordings.
The former convent church has been adapted to function as a performance venue and space for temporary exhibitions.
Welcome to the Puppet Museum!