Come and be inspired by Porto Puppet Museum

"A place where the poetry of puppets allows creating manifold narratives and broadens the understanding of the world in a significant way."

One could perhaps say that Puppet Theatre is as old as time, as it is difficult to trace its origins in an exact way. This type of entertainment has been presented in many diverse styles and for many different audiences. Traditionally, the aim of this theatre was the performance of folk or traditional plays to popular audiences.

The Teatro de Marionetas do Porto (Porto Puppet Theatre), established in 1988 by a group of puppetry devotees, led by João Paulo Seara Cardoso (1956-2010), wanted to found a creative artistic project. The result is the establishement of the Museu de Marionetas do Porto [Porto Puppet Museum], one of the major projects of the theatre.

The Museu de Marionetas do Porto (Porto Puppet Museum), inaugurated in 2013, exhibits a significant collection gathered over the years, offering the opportunity to explore the world of puppetry, with exhibitions, archive exhibitions, and tours that will entertain and captivate young and old visitors, opening doors to the fantastic world of our imagination.

The museum cares about everyone so there are valences to help visitors with difficulties in terms of accessibility; as such, there is a virtual tour on ground -1, for people with reduced mobility and a puppet building space on ground 0.

Porto Puppet Museum is also accessible for hearing impaired people, making available a video guide both in Portuguese and in English sign language.

The Museum is open from 11 am till 1 pm, and from 2 pm to 6 pm, at Rua de Belomonte, 61.

Did you know that, in Portugal, the word bonifrate is perhaps the oldest and most pure of the terms signifying a puppet? Other similar meanings tand perhaps more frequently used, are marioneta, títere, bonecro, fantoche or roberto.