Municipal Museum of Ribeira Grande

Category: Civil Architecture > Museum

District: Açores > Ribeira Grande > Ribeira Grande > Matriz

Location

The Ribeira Grande Municipal Museum is located in the parish of Matriz, in the city centre.

It is housed in a historic building, the former Solar de São Vicente Ferreira, located on the street of the same name.

The Manor House and Its Rooms

This museum occupies the premises of an old manor house, the Solar de São Vicente Ferreira, which provides a historic atmosphere for the visit.

In addition to permanent exhibition areas, the museum has rooms dedicated to temporary displays, where artistic and other themed works are presented throughout the year. There is also a garden, a space to enjoy peacefully.

Testimonies of Daily Life

The museum's main collection tells the story of daily life in Ribeira Grande and São Miguel over time. It gathers material testimonies that illustrate the social, economic, and cultural life of the region.

The permanent collections showcase traditional crafts that are now less common, such as stonemasonry, carpentry, weaving, the old barbershop, or a print shop. One can also see a recreation of a Micaelense manor kitchen, a period pharmacy with Art Nouveau characteristics, azulejo tilework pieces from various centuries, and locally found archaeological artifacts, as well as examples of sacred art, including a Baroque altarpiece.

A Highlight Piece

One of the museum's most notable highlights is the Moving Nativity Scene of Prior Evaristo Carreiro Gouveia.

This piece is considered the oldest animated nativity scene in the Azores, bringing together figures and props that were added between the 1920s and 1973, offering a detailed and unique view of the nativity with movement.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt