Visiting the Casa das Histórias Paula Rego under the cover of night? Check! Discovering the only mareograph in the world operating perfectly since 1882? Bingo! Sailing aboard a galleon? Absolutely! These and other activities will be possible this Saturday, 18th May, a date that brings together International Museum Day and European Museum Night. In total, eleven cultural venues in Cascais will open their doors for free entry, many of them until 10 PM.
First, let's talk about the rarities: from 8 AM to 9:30 PM, visitors will be able to climb to the exterior balcony of the tower at the Museum Condes de Castro Guimarães (weather permitting); the Marégrafo de Cascais, one of the first European observatories dedicated to studying currents and tides, will also be open for visits; and the salt galleon Estou Para Ver will take curious visitors for a ride, allowing them to help maneuver it, including hoisting the sails, and learning about fishing and nautical activities in the waters of Cascais. The galleon will sail towards the Farol da Guia or in the direction of the Praia das Avencas natural reserve, with the first departure at 9:30 AM and the second at 11:30 AM, from the Reception Quay of the Marina de Cascais.
At the Museu da Música Portuguesa - Casa Verdades de Faria, there will be an opportunity to construct a ciranda (at 10:00 AM and 11:30 AM). A ciranda is traditionally used for sifting cereals but is also employed as a musical instrument to accompany singing and circle dancing.
But if everything is free and with extended hours, the 18th can be just an opportunity to see the exhibitions you've been putting off. Casa das Histórias Paula Rego, Centro Cultural de Cascais, Museu Condes Castro Guimarães, Museu da Música Portuguesa – Casa Verdade de Faria, Museu da Vila and Museu do Mar Rei D. Carlos will be open from 10.00 to 22.00 without interruption. The Galeria de Exposições do Palácio da Cidadela, Forte São Jorge Oitavos, Casa de Santa Maria, Farol Santa Marta and Forte Santo António da Barra can be visited until 18.00.
Summer walks and lap chats
The program also includes "The Photographic Marathon," which invites the public to take photographs in various museums in Cascais, and the guided tour "The Charm of Summer in Cascais," which explores how "summer holidays changed the urban fabric and deeply influenced local architecture" (from the Museu da Vila to the Palácio Condes de Castro Guimarães and Casa de Santa Maria).
And what about the children? They also have plenty to enjoy and learn from. In the Garden of the Casa das Histórias Paula Rego, for instance, the program "In the Lap of Nature" (for ages 0 to 3, at 11.00) opens a conversation with Maternal Health nurse Isabel Cruz about body language and the bonds that connect babies to those around them. For children aged 4 to 12, the exhibition "Manifesto," featuring works by Paula Rego, will be the main focus of sensory exploration, at 11.00 and 15.00. Also scheduled is the "Tell Me Stories" moment, designed for children over 3 years old and set for 15.00, featuring a discussion about the garden's plant elements. Meanwhile, the Centro Cultural de Cascais teaches how to visit exhibitions with a guided tour for those over 6 years old, exploring the exhibitions of Lucien Hervé, Ruth Orkin, and Maria Luisa Ruiz-Tagl, scheduled for 10:30.
The complete program for the International Museum Day in Cascais can be consulted online. All activities require prior booking by May 16th, via email at envolvete@fdl.pt or through the online form provided by the organizers.
Various locations. 18 May. Various times
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