Agricultural Museum of Montemor-o-Novo

Category: Civil Architecture > Museum

District: Évora > Montemor-o-Novo > Montemor-o-Novo > Nossa Senhora da Vila, Nossa Senhora do Bispo e Silveiras

Location:

The Montemor-o-Novo Agricultural Museum is located at Quinta da Cruz Velha, next to National Road 4. It is situated on the outskirts of the city of Montemor-o-Novo, within the municipality of the same name, in the district of Évora.

Its location offers a setting that evokes a rural environment and proximity to agricultural lands, consistent with the museum's theme, while remaining easily accessible from the urban center.

Memory of Rural Activity

This museum space was conceived to preserve and present the vast and diverse collection related to agricultural activity that marked the region and the country over decades.

The museum functions as a repository of the memory of work in the field, techniques, tools, and machines that were essential for rural life and economy, providing a portrait of agricultural evolution.

Collection and Highlights

The museum's collection is spread across two floors, each with its particular focus on agricultural heritage.

On the ground floor, visitors will find larger and more complex machinery. One of the main points of interest is a steam boiler dating from 1850, which is interconnected with other equipment from that era, such as a threshing machine, a fanning mill, and a wheel baler. This ensemble illustrates the introduction of mechanization in the fields.

The upper floor is dedicated to presenting animal-drawn equipment and manual tools that were part of the daily life of rural workers. On this floor, a highlight is the recreation of an old «Oficina do Soeiro» (Soeiro's Workshop), a space that represents a type of traditional workplace recognized in the Montemor-o-Novo community, showcasing the know-how related to the maintenance of agricultural implements.

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