Welcome
The industrial and handicraft museum takes you on a journey through history highlighting the textile golden era in Portugal, where the towns of Mira de Aire and Minde were one of the most important Portuguese textile industry centres in the 20th century.
Another place well worth visiting in Mira de Aire are the Mira de Aire Caves, the largest and most impressive caves in the country. Mira de Aire is surrounded by the Candeeiros and Aire Mountains Natural Park where you can go hiking or biking and enjoy the stunning views.
Just 15 km away from Fátima and the Sanctuary of Fátima, we will be waiting for you for an original visit to our museum which you can complement with a visit to the Museu de Aguarela, a museum with paintings from the renowned Portuguese painter, Roque Gameiro, just 10 minutes´ drive away in Minde
The Museum
Located in a former carpet factory called Tapetes Dom Fuas (1933), later Tapetes Vitória (1945), the Industrial and Handicraft Textile Museum is a project which aims to dignify the legacy of the generations who made the towns of Mira de Aire and Minde become one of the centres of the textile industry in Portugal in the 20th century.
We hope you´ll enjoy your visit and that the museum´s exhibition will help you understand the processes involved in the textile production throughout history.
The museum aims to inform visitors about how wool was processed to produce rugs, carpets, blankets, cloths and knitting fabrics.
Wool processing and fabric production can be done by using artisanal methods or industrial methods. The museum´s collection includes hand looms and other hand operated devices as well as industrial machinery.
The museum also includes a tailor´s workshop which displays sewing tools and other equipment.
In the room where there used to be a creche/nursery for the factory workers´ children, there´s an impressive handmade collection of miniature manual and mechanical devices involved in the textile production. In this same room, visitors can view a video depicting the different stages of wool processing: shearing, sorting, scouring, dyeing, carding, combing, spinning and weaving.
Visits
We aim to provide an experience of discovery and fun. To complete your visit we are happy to inform you about the best nearby restaurants and to tell you about local curiosities which you can visit such as the largest tapestry in Portugal or, if you´re feeling adventurous, you can climb the mountainside to discover the “Ventas do Diabo” (Devil´s Nostrils), two large rock cavities resembling nostrils.
Organized group visits
Opening Times
10h00 - 13h00
14h00 - 18h00
( Closed on Mondays, except in August)
Where?
Rua das Grutas, 593
2485-059 Mira de Aire
GPS
39° 32' 32.712'' N
8° 42' 41.9148'' W
Lat_Long
39.542420, -8.711643
Contact
Phone: 244 449 269
Mobile phone: 925 986 502
Email: miat@miat.pt
