Casa-Museu Egas Moniz in Avanca

Casa-Museu Egas Moniz, also known as Casa do Marinheiro, is a house museum in the parish of Avanca, in the municipality of Estarreja (Aveiro district, Portugal). It is the birthplace of António Egas Moniz, the Portuguese winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Today the building is a museum devoted to his life, his collections and his scientific work.

Who was Egas Moniz, and why visit?

Egas Moniz (1874–1955) was a physician and neurologist with wide-ranging tastes as a collector. He received the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1949. The museum displays objects and documents linked to the medical research that earned him the award. For anyone interested in the history of science, it is a rare chance to step inside the home where a laureate of this rank grew up.

History of the building

The house dates to the 18th century. In 1915 Egas Moniz had it completely rebuilt to a design by the architect Ernesto Korrodi. The result is a single-family residence that blends Art Nouveau and eclectic styles: the exterior features Art Nouveau mouldings and details, while the interiors are simpler and more eclectic. Since 1997 the property has been classified as a Public Interest Property (Imóvel de Interesse Público).

How did the museum come about?

Egas Moniz left no descendants, so he chose to dedicate the house and his collections to the public. He founded the Regional Museum, later renamed Casa-Museu Egas Moniz. It opened its doors on 14 July 1968.

What can you see inside?

The collections include art assembled by the professor:

• furniture,
• porcelain, faience and glassware,
• 19th- and 20th-century Portuguese painting,
• engravings and sculpture,
• goldsmith's work and tapestry.

A separate group consists of scientific objects and documents from the medical research honoured with the Nobel Prize.

Practical information

According to OpenStreetMap, the museum is open Tuesday to Saturday, 9:00–17:00; from March to October, Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00–18:00. It is closed on public holidays and on 13 June. Phone: +351 234 884 518. Check current hours before your visit, as they can change.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Casa-Museu Egas Moniz? In Avanca, municipality of Estarreja, Aveiro district, Portugal.

Is it really the Nobel laureate's birthplace? Yes. Egas Moniz was born in this house and rebuilt it in its present form in 1915.

When did the museum open? On 14 July 1968.

What is in the collection? Furniture, porcelain, faience, glassware, paintings, engravings, sculpture, goldsmith's work, tapestries, and scientific objects and documents tied to Egas Moniz's medical research.

When is the museum closed? On Mondays and Sundays, on public holidays and on 13 June (per OpenStreetMap).