Description of the attraction
Barcelos is a small town in the north of Portugal, located on the banks of the Cavado River, is considered the birthplace of the national symbol of Portugal - the Barcelos cockerel and is also famous for its ceramics. The city has a museum of pottery, which attracts attention with its extensive collection of various pottery products.
The museum is housed in the former House of Mendanhas, a typical building of urban architecture from the 17th century, and has over 7,000 exhibits collected from all over Portugal. Among the exhibits are items from Spain, Brazil, Angola, East Timor, Chile and Algeria.
The museum was opened in 1963 and was called the Regional Museum of Ceramics. The basis of the museum was the collection of the famous ethnographer Joaquim Paez de Scheles Villas Boas, which he donated to the museum. Among the exhibits were mainly clay products by the Barcelos masters. Over time, exhibits from all regions of Portugal were added to the collection, and the museum was renamed the Museum of Portuguese Folk Ceramics. And when the collection of the museum expanded even more and became international, the museum became known as the Museum of Pottery Art.
Among the exhibits of the museum you can see examples of ceramics for everyday use, ceramics typical for Barcelos. The museum also displays authentic items of clothing and kitchen utensils, reflecting local customs and traditions, some of which have already ceased to exist. The Barselouche cockerel and the works of Rosa Ramalho are widely represented. Rosa Ramalho is the creative pseudonym of Rosa Barbos Lopez, a famous Portuguese pottery woman.
