Museum of Stringed Instruments

Category: Civil Architecture > Museum

District: Braga > Braga > Tebosa > Vendas

Location

The Cordophone Museum is located in the village of Tebosa, integrated into the municipality of Braga. It is situated in the area known as Vendas.

The Instrument Collection

This museum is dedicated to exhibiting a vast collection of stringed musical instruments. The central particularity of the collection lies in the fact that the vast majority of the instruments were built by the hands of the master craftsman Domingos Machado himself. The collection covers a remarkable diversity, including cavaquinhos, different types of violas (classical, Braguesa, Amarantina, Azorean, Beiroa, among others), guitars, banjos, and mandolins.

It is possible to find unique examples, replicas of historical instruments such as baroque violas from the 17th and 18th centuries, and even some instruments of other origins. All cordophones that are part of the exhibition are functional, allowing visitors to appreciate the quality and art of their construction.

The Legacy of a Master

The Cordophone Museum celebrates the life and work of Domingos Machado, a craftsman who inherited the art of instrument making from his father. His dedication and mastery led to the recognition of his work nationally and internationally. The quality of his instruments made them sought after by musicians and collectors, having even been acquired by museums and prominent figures in the music scene.

Domingos Machado's work is seen as an important continuation of traditional knowledge and has been the subject of study, reflecting its cultural and artistic relevance. The museum, inaugurated in 1995, serves as a guardian of this important legacy of cordophone construction in Portugal.

The Artisan Workshop

To complement the visit to the collection of finished instruments, the museum offers the opportunity to see the space where they come to life. Visitors can peek into the workshop where master Domingos Machado and his family continue the art of cordophone construction. This contact with the workspace allows visitors to gain a closer perspective on the creative process, the selection of woods, and the meticulous care each instrument requires in its elaboration.

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