The next few days will bring a series of free cultural initiatives to a Portuguese city, at a time when museum spaces are opening their doors again with special programming dedicated to International Museum Day. Concerts, workshops, guided tours and exhibitions are part of the activities prepared to mark the date.
According to the portal, the country’s capital will be one of the cities with the most extensive programming, through initiatives promoted by EGEAC and different cultural spaces in the capital between the 16th and 23rd of May.
Free museums and special programming
The celebrations begin this weekend and include free access to several museums and cultural centers in the city. The objective follows the proposal launched by the International Council of Museums, which this year once again encourages the public to get closer to culture and art.
According to the same source, the agenda includes activities for different audiences, from families with children to visitors interested in history, music or heritage.
Baroque ball in Lisbon palace
Among the highlights is the Baroque Ball at Palácio Pimenta, scheduled for May 16th. The space will be transformed into an environment inspired by the court period, with dances guided by a specialized master. The portal writes that the event will also feature music, games, acrobatics and areas dedicated to food and drink, seeking to recreate the typical atmosphere of old aristocratic balls.
The Fado Museum also integrates the celebrations with a guided visit to the exhibition “Variações para Carlos Paredes”, led by commissioner António Manuel Nunes. The initiative ends with a musical moment starring Ricardo Parreira and João Filipe. Entry will be free, although subject to prior booking via email.
Aldina Duarte takes the stage
On May 17th, Casa Fernando Pessoa hosts a show by Aldina Duarte. The fado singer will be accompanied by Pedro Amendoeira, on Portuguese guitar, and João Filipe, on viola. The show was conceived as a compliment to life and silence, and is also part of the cultural celebrations prepared for the weekend.
MUDE, recently renovated, will have free entry throughout the weekend. The program includes crochet workshops, photography, screen printing and storytelling activities aimed at families. The same source mentions that the Puppet Museum will also have special initiatives, including creative workshops where visitors can build their own puppets with simple materials.
Exhibitions and historical memory
In turn, Padrão dos Descobrimentos opens on May 17th the exhibition “PADRÃO. Casa-Obsessão”, focused on the different visual representations of the monument over the last few decades. The Aljube Museum will have two free temporary exhibitions linked to the resistance to the dictatorship and the liberation movements associated with the former Portuguese colonies, adds the publication.
The celebrations also include special visits to the Bordalo Pinheiro Museum, dedicated to the 150th birthday of Zé Povinho, a central figure in Portuguese satire created by Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro. There will also be evening programming as part of the European Museum Night, which takes place on May 23, with initiatives between 6pm and midnight in different cultural spaces in the city.
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