Benavente Municipal Museum / Dr. António Gabriel Ferreira Lourenço Municipal Museum

Category: Civil Architecture > Museum

District: Santarém > Benavente > Benavente > Benavente e Santo Estêvão

Location

This museum is located in the town of Benavente. It is situated in an area that, once an old limit of the town, has become a busy urban axis, acting as a hinge with the historic centre.

The museum building faces its main façade towards Rua Luís de Camões.

The Building and Its History

The museum is housed in a historic building, a noble house built at the end of the 18th century. Initially a private residence of Captain Colaço Lobo, it was acquired in the mid-20th century by Dr. António Gabriel Ferreira Lourenço, who established a boarding house associated with the Benavente College there.

It was by the express will in the testament of Dr. António Gabriel Ferreira Lourenço that the building was donated to the Municipal Council to become a museum, on the condition that his name be included in its designation. The deed of donation was formalized in 1976.

The building's architecture presents the typical typology of a two-story house, featuring stone masonry on the corners and bands of the main façade. Notable are the sober stone frames defining the windows and the main door, which features a pediment. Inside, there is a distribution hall and a central stone staircase connecting the two floors, where the exhibition areas are currently located.

This robust building, even after the 1909 earthquake that significantly affected the town, maintained its original structure, testifying to the solidity of its construction.

Heritage and Local Identity

Inaugurated in 1980, the museum largely came into being thanks to the extensive ethnographic collection gathered over approximately forty years by Joaquim Parracho. This collection, focused on everyday objects, family life, and work, formed the initial core of the collection, which has been enriched over time by frequent donations from the local community.

As a "museum of territory and identity," the institution is dedicated to the research, conservation, and dissemination of the material and immaterial testimonies of life and environment in the municipality of Benavente. The objective is to safeguard collective memory and promote the knowledge and appreciation of local heritage.

Among the most relevant collections are agricultural tools, traditional costume, ceramics, and objects related to old trades. A vast collection of photographs complements these pieces, offering an essential visual perspective for understanding life in the region, especially since the late 19th century.

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