Tungsten Museum

Category: Civil Architecture > Museum

District: Vila Real > Ribeira de Pena > Penaformosa > Quintela

Location

The Wolfram Museum is located in Quintela, an area within the locality of Penaformosa, part of the municipality of Ribeira de Pena. The region is characterized by a rural setting and landscapes shaped by history and nature. Its location offers a tranquil environment, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the memory and geographical context that gave rise to mining.

Situated in an area of remarkable natural heritage, the museum emerges as a reference point for understanding the peculiarities of the local landscape and its connection to the underground mineral wealth.

The Memory of Wolfram

This space is dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of mining in the region, with a special focus on wolfram extraction. Mining activity deeply marked the municipality of Ribeira de Pena over the centuries, and the museum interprets this legacy, which is strongly rooted in the memories of the local community. Through its collection, it is possible to trace the evolution of this activity and understand its cultural and economic impact.

The museum brings together a collection of elements that allow visitors to learn about the tangible and intangible heritage associated with the golden age of wolfram, a strategic metal that transformed local society and economy.

A Look at Geology

In addition to the history of mining, the museum offers a section dedicated to geology, which reveals the evolution of Earth itself. This part of the exhibition explores the formation of minerals and rocks, establishing the intrinsic relationship between humans and the planet's geological resources. It is an opportunity to understand how minerals, such as wolfram, are formed and how they were discovered and utilized over time.

The exhibition invites visitors on a journey that begins with the vastness of geological history and then focuses on the specificities of wolfram, helping to understand the changes that its exploitation brought to the region and to the lives of its people.

The Legacy in the Landscape

The Wolfram Museum acts as a vital connecting point for understanding the extensive mining legacy that can still be observed in the surrounding landscape. Although the museum is the main interpretive point, its narrative extends beyond its walls, connecting to the former exploration areas. It thus provides a perspective on the transformation of the landscape and economy that mining activity brought about.

Visiting the museum provides a basis for imagining and understanding the mining structures that once dotted the region, and the stories and memories associated with these explorations. It is an invitation to reflect on the importance of the local industrial and environmental heritage.

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