Museum of folk art

The Museum of Popular Art, located along the picturesque banks of the Tagus River in Lisbon, is a vibrant testament to Portugal’s artistic and cultural traditions. Inaugurated in 1948, the museum was born from the transformation of the “Vida Popular” pavilion within the 1940 Portuguese World Exhibition. Originally designed by architects Veloso Reis Camelo and João Simões, the pavilion was later adapted under the direction of ethnographer Francisco Lage and further developed by architect Jorge Segurado. The idea behind the Museum of Popular Art was to create a space that could preserve and celebrate Portugal’s rich popular traditions. The museum was organized into five main rooms, each dedicated to a different region of the country: Entre-Douro-e-Minho, Trás-os-Montes, Algarve, Beiras, and Alentejo-Estremadura. These rooms displayed a variety of ethnographic artifacts, from ceramics to traditional clothing, textiles to work tools, offering a comprehensive overview of rural life and Portuguese popular traditions. The museum project was strongly influenced by the cultural policies of the regime of António de Oliveira Salazar, who saw popular traditions as an essential component of national identity. The creation of the museum was part of the initiatives of the Secretariado de Propaganda Nacional (SPN), led by António Ferro, whose goal was to promote a unified and glorious idea of Portugal. Over the years, the museum has undergone several transformations. In 2010, the Museum of Popular Art underwent major restoration work to address the advanced state of degradation of the building. Since 2012, the museum has been under the responsibility of the National Museum of Ethnology, reflecting a renewed commitment to the conservation and enhancement of the country’s ethnographic heritage. Today, although the original permanent rooms are closed to the public, the museum continues to play an important role in Lisbon’s cultural scene. Visitors can still admire the original murals in the reception area and participate in cultural events and temporary exhibitions that celebrate the diversity and richness of Portuguese popular traditions. One of the most fascinating aspects of the Museum of Popular Art is its location. Located in the vibrant parish of Belém, the museum is close to iconic monuments such as the Belém Tower, the Jerónimos Monastery, and the Padrão dos Descobrimentos. This makes a visit to the museum an enriching experience not only from a cultural perspective but also from a historical and architectural one. The history of the museum is closely linked to the history of the city and the country. Its birth and evolution reflect the political and social changes that Portugal has undergone throughout the 20th century. From nationalist propaganda in the 1940s to the increasing valorization of cultural heritage in recent decades, the Museum of Popular Art has always been a reference point for the preservation and promotion of popular traditions.