National Museum of Ethnology, Ethnographic museum in Belém, Portugal
The National Museum of Ethnology in Belém houses approximately 40,000 objects representing cultures from Africa, Asia, South America, and traditional Portuguese societies. The collection includes tools, textiles, masks, and everyday items from different parts of the world.
The institution was founded in 1965 as an overseas ethnology museum and later renamed when it joined the Institute of Portuguese Museums. This change reflected a shift in focus that highlighted Portuguese cultures more prominently.
The Portuguese Rural Life galleries display everyday tools and household objects that researchers collected from different regions across the country. Visitors can observe how people once worked and arranged their homes.
The museum welcomes visitors from Tuesday afternoon through Sunday, though opening hours vary by day. It is helpful to check ahead to confirm exact times, as hours differ throughout the week.
The museum offers guided tours through storage rooms where visitors can see objects not regularly on display. This behind-the-scenes experience reveals a large portion of the collection normally kept hidden.
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