Paper Money Museum

Category: Civil Architecture > Museum

District: Aveiro > Santa Maria da Feira > Paços de Brandão > Centro

Location

The Paper Museum is located in the center of Paços de Brandão, a town belonging to the municipality of Santa Maria da Feira. It is housed in buildings that, in the 19th century, functioned as paper factories, thus preserving part of the area's historical industrial environment.

An Industrial Heritage

This museum space assumes a pioneering role in Portugal, being the first entirely dedicated to the history of paper. Its creation recognizes the strong papermaking tradition of the Santa Maria da Feira region, which dates back to the early 18th century.

The museum is housed in old factory buildings, such as Fábrica Custódio Pais and Fábrica dos Azevedos. It also includes the ruins of Engenho Novo, which operated between 1795 and 1958, testifying to the scale and importance that some of these manufacturing units achieved in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Paper Manufacturing

The exhibition in the museum allows you to discover the different methods of paper production over time. It is possible to understand how paper was made manually, sheet by sheet, an older and more artisanal process.

The exhibition also shows the evolution to the industrial phase, with the demonstration of continuous manufacturing, which transformed the industry. The museum's collection features a significant collection of watermarks and equipment used in various Portuguese factories, illustrating the technical evolution and variety of national production.

Accessibility

With the comfort of all visitors in mind, the museum offers accessibility for people with reduced mobility, including an elevator and a mobile platform. There is also documentation available in braille to support the visit to the space.

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