The Ílhavo Maritime Museum is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its Expansion and Renovation this year, a project by the Municipality of Ílhavo with architecture by the firm ARX Portugal. Implemented in 2001, this milestone redefined the museum's exhibition discourse, focusing on cod fishing within a modern architectural building, which received the AICA/MC 2002 award and was nominated for the SECIL 2002 and European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture 2003/Mies Van Der Rohe awards.
The architectural project, which incorporated new volumes such as the Sala da Ria and the central black “tower” for temporary exhibitions, the administrative area, library, and cafeteria, gave the museum a touch of modernity and experimentalism. The visible water from all sections becomes a connecting element to the maritime theme.
The celebrations will take place on October 21st and 23rd. On the 21st, at 5:30 PM, the temporary exhibition “Visto bom para Portugal: Memórias de uma Viagem” (Good for Portugal: Memories of a Journey) will open, exploring Portugal's neutrality and geographical position during World War II, which made it a crucial transit point for thousands of European refugees escaping Nazi persecution. The exhibition is supported by the Aristides de Sousa Mendes Foundation and the Tamara van den Bergh Ferguson Foundation and will run until May 2, 2027.
At 7:00 PM on the same day, the 4th concert of the Chamber Music Cycle “A Música e os Refugiados” (Music and Refugees) will feature a violin and piano recital by Elicia Silverstein and João Casimiro Almeida, with works by Stravinsky, Snittke, Bartok, and Bloch. The concert is free.
On October 23rd, the Casa da Cultura de Ílhavo will host the commemorative concert with musician Rodrigo Leão, who will present his work “O Rapaz da Montanha” (The Mountain Boy). Tickets are available at 23 Milhas and online via BOL.
For more information, interested parties can contact the Ílhavo Maritime Museum via email at visitas.mmi@cm-ilhavo.pt or by phone at 234 329 990.
