Museu do Fado

Museu do Fado is a music museum in Lisbon dedicated to the Portuguese Fado tradition, housing instruments, recordings, photographs, and documents that illustrate this genre. The building displays materials across different exhibition areas that document the evolution and range of this musical expression.

The building began as a water pumping station in 1868, equipped with steam engines from E. Windsor & Fils. It was converted into a museum in 1998, giving new life to this industrial structure from the 19th century.

The permanent exhibition displays paintings by José Malhoa and Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro that show how visual artists captured the world of Fado singers. These works reveal the deep connection between this music tradition and Portuguese artistic expression that visitors can observe directly.

The museum is located near Santa Apolónia station and is open Tuesday through Sunday. Audioguides in several languages help visitors navigate the exhibitions and understand the collections.

The museum maintains a digital sound archive containing thousands of recordings from the early 20th century. This archive is accessible through the museum's website, allowing visitors to hear the original voices and sounds of Fado history.

Location: Santa Maria Maior

Inception: September 25, 1998

Operator: Câmara Municipal de Lisboa

Address: Largo do Chafariz de Dentro, núm. 1

Opening Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-18:00; January 01,May 01,December 25 off

Website: http://museudofado.pt

GPS coordinates: 38.71109,-9.12762

Latest update: December 12, 2025 09:08