Category: Civil Architecture > Museum
District: Aveiro > Oliveira do Bairro > Alagoa
The Bairrada Museum of Ethnomusicology is located in the quiet village of Alagoa, within the municipality of Oliveira do Bairro. This region is known for its deep connection to music, with a rich cultural heritage where philharmonic bands and musical groups play a central role in community life. Its position in a locality with this identity offers a natural context for the museum's theme, allowing visitors to feel the environment that shaped much of its collection.
Inaugurated in 2005, this museum is dedicated to preserving and sharing the vast cultural heritage produced in the musical field, the result of generations of legacy in the Bairrada region. Its main purpose is to safeguard, investigate, and disseminate knowledge about local ethnographic music, extending this understanding to Portuguese and world music. The museum serves as a link between the past and the present, ensuring that the rich musical traditions of Bairrada remain alive and accessible.
The museum's collection is diverse and comprehensive, inviting a journey through the sounds and customs of Bairrada. It includes an impressive collection of musical instruments that tell the story of the evolution of sounds in the region. Furthermore, it possesses a significant documentary collection, highlighting original and handwritten sheet music by local composers and a vast photographic archive that illustrates the traditions and musical history of the municipality of Oliveira do Bairro and Bairrada in general. The museum also exhibits textiles, particularly costumes worn by philharmonic associations and ethnographic groups, and sound recording and reproduction equipment that depicts the technological evolution of music.
The presence of works by notable figures, such as maestro and composer Joaquim Pleno, whose work is widely preserved in the museum, offers a unique perspective on the personalities who shaped local music. All the heritage comes from the five municipalities of Bairrada – Águeda, Anadia, Cantanhede, Mealhada, and Oliveira do Bairro – giving the museum a representative character of the entire region.
The Bairrada Museum of Ethnomusicology presents itself as a modern space, equipped to fulfill its museological functions and provide an enriching experience for visitors. In addition to the exhibition areas, it is possible to explore the behind-the-scenes of heritage conservation by visiting its important reserves and the conservation and restoration laboratory. A documentation center is available for those who wish to deepen their research on ethnomusicology.
The exhibitions are designed to engage visitors. The permanent exhibition, on the ground floor, unveils the ethnomusicological reality of the region, narrating the historical role of music and associativism through instruments and costumes. On the lower floor, an interactive area invites creative exploration of sounds, stimulating the senses and imagination. The space is designed to be inclusive, ensuring accessibility for all.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 40.4983077,-8.5622388
Coordinates DMS: 40°29'53.9"N 08°33'44.1"W
