Ethnographic Museum of the Vouga Region

Category: Civil Architecture > Museum

District: Aveiro > Águeda > Lamas do Vouga > Trofa, Segadães e Lamas do Vouga

Location

The Ethnographic Museum of the Vouga Region is located in the town of Lamas do Vouga, part of the union of civil parishes of Trofa, Segadães and Lamas do Vouga, in the municipality of Águeda. It is housed in a manor house dating from the late 19th century.

This house is situated on what was once a working farm in the Mourisca do Vouga area. Its architecture reflects the bourgeois taste of the period, influenced by the era of emigration to Brazil. One can observe its peculiar structure, known as 'cage construction' (construção em gaiola), the facade adorned with tiles, and the parapet decorated with small colonnettes.

Memories of the Region

This museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and disseminating the vast cultural heritage of the Vouga region. Founded in 1977, it is based on continuous study of the traditions and experiences of the people who inhabited and still inhabit this area, which extends from the Serra da Lapa to the Aveiro Estuary (Ria de Aveiro).

The museum space aims to be a link between the past and the present, documenting and interpreting collective identity and local memories. It goes beyond a mere exhibition of objects, seeking to value both tangible and intangible heritage.

Ethnographic Collections

The various rooms of the house that host the museum house a rich ethnographic collection. On display are traditional costumes illustrating the clothing worn in different contexts and by various social classes of the region, such as the 'tricana' costume, the attire of field workers, or women's colourful scarves.

The collections also include everyday objects, both for domestic use and those related to the agricultural activities that shaped the local landscape and economy. There are also sections dedicated to historical documentation, numismatics, philately, religious culture, and other aspects of the region's social and cultural life over time, such as the activities of the Vouga boatmen or the work of the Mourisca blacksmiths.

A Legacy for the Future

Managed by the Vouga Region Folklore Group, the museum positions itself as a dynamic centre for study and dissemination. It supports research and the implementation of cultural initiatives that promote knowledge of ethnographic heritage. Its existence is fundamental for current and future generations to learn about and understand their roots and the history of the Vouga community.

By visiting this museum, the public has the opportunity to delve into the stories and traditions that define the region's identity, in a space that seeks to keep alive the memory of its people through the objects and the narratives they tell.

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