Museums and Palaces

Awaiting your visit in the Convent das Bernardas, there is a very special collection: puppets of all types and forms as well as masks from all over the world and its various cultures. In addition there are mock ups, props, silhouette theatres, various types of scenery along with various examples of the machines that worked behind the stages as well as reconstructions of Baroque theatrical pieces. And that is not to mention the wind machine used to create storms or waves. It all makes up one of the most original collections of this ancient form of entertainment.

The history of the museum and its huge range of exhibits lies in the original Company of S. Lourenço collection, designed and built for its respective shows.

Any visit provides a meaningful insight into puppetry around the world. It all begins with the shadow and the Orient, featuring different types, forms and means of building puppets, before moving onto the great families of the European tradition. There is a special focus on the study and understanding of the Portuguese contribution to Puppet Theatre.

Taking a broader perspective on this style of theatre, the exhibition includes a section on television puppets and cartoon animation highlighting some of the key principles behind televising puppets.