The Marionette Museum is the only and unique museum of its kind in Portugal. The museum is located in a beautiful and ancient building of the former Bernardas Monastery. The museum's collection consists of about four thousand exhibits from more than 30 countries.
The museum's exposition is entirely devoted to the history of marionettes and puppet theatres. Some marionettes in the form of figures of knights, princesses, jesters and even devils date back to the 17th and 18th centuries. In addition to the traditional marionettes of Portugal, the museum displays the famous collection of African and Asian marionettes and masks of the collector Francisco Capelo. Guests of the museum can also see oriental masks and puppets from such exotic places as Java and Bali, Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Japan and China. There are also traditional Russian puppets and marionettes from Sicily among the exhibits. "The collection of artefacts from famous European and Portuguese puppet families is considered the "highlight" of the museum.
The museum often hosts puppet shows, as well as masterclasses for those interested in the process and technology of puppet making. There are videos of performances, rituals, shows, celebrations and performances in which marionettes take part. The museum has a dedicated room for children to play with the puppets.
