Puppet Museum of Porto

Museu das Marionetas do Porto (Puppet Museum of Porto)

The Puppet Museum of Porto (Museu das Marionetas do Porto) was the dream of João Paulo Seara Cardoso (1956-2010), a Porto native and the founder of the Porto Puppet Theatre. Cardoso produced and directed puppet shows for both the theatre and TV and published a number of books for children. His work is known in both Portugal and overseas.

The museum was inaugurated in 2013 at a building in Rua dos Flores, a fashionable street in the historic central area of Porto, but subsequently relocated to nearby Rua de Belomonte in 2016 where it is now situated next to the Belomonte Puppet Theatre.

Puppet Museum of Porto (Museu das Marionetas do Porto), Porto, Portugal. — Belomonte Puppet Theatre next door to the Puppet Museum of Porto (Museu das Marionetas do Porto), Porto

The museum is on three floors including a basement. Visitors can see many of Cardoso's imaginative creations including Cinderela, Bichos do Bosque, Faust and Macbeth. The museum also hosts performances of puppetry and temporary exhibitions.

Altogether there are around 1,200 pieces on display including puppets, masks, props, photographs and scenery for puppet shows. As new puppets and props are made for performances, the exhibits are constantly growing.

The Museu das Marionetas do Porto is especially of interest to children who can operate some of the puppets, watch videos of puppet shows and lounge on floor cushions.