Ceramics Museum of Sacavém

The Ceramics Museum of Sacavém (Museu de Cerâmica de Sacavém) is an industrial heritage museum in the town of Sacavém, in the municipality of Loures, just northeast of Lisbon. It sits on the grounds of a former ceramics factory and tells the story of a works that shaped the local landscape and the lives of its residents for over a century.

Why visit?

The museum does not stand next to the factory; it stands inside its former site. It opened in July 2000, and most of the exhibits reflect what was made there. For anyone interested in industrial heritage, ceramics or azulejos, it is a rare chance to see objects together with the place where they were produced. In 2002 the museum received the Luigi Micheletti Prize in the Industrial Heritage category.

What is the history of the Sacavém factory?

The factory was founded in 1856 by Manuel Joaquim Afonso, a glass industrialist from Marinha Grande. It was the first Portuguese firm to produce feldspathic faience tableware on an industrial scale, and it also made azulejos, sanitary ware and mosaics. Over time it failed to adapt to changing conditions and went bankrupt in 1979.

What can you see?

Tourist information lists more than 5,000 porcelain pieces and around 100 azulejos in the collection. The centrepiece is oven 18, a circular kiln with ten openings, a reminder of the firing process behind every piece. Besides the exhibition rooms, the museum has a terrace with a view of the River Tagus. In its workshops, former factory workers have recreated the whole production process, showing crafts of earlier decades.

The documentation centre

A documentation centre attached to the museum is devoted to the history and production of the factory and to the industrial heritage of Loures. It is mainly a resource for researchers and enthusiasts who want to go deeper than the displays.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the museum? In Sacavém, in the municipality of Loures, northeast of central Lisbon.

When did it open? In July 2000, on the grounds of a former ceramics factory.

Is the museum currently open to visitors? According to available information, the museum is temporarily closed to the public, while the documentation centre can be visited during set hours for research. Check the current details with the Loures municipality before you go.

What is the main exhibit? The circular oven 18 with ten openings, along with the collection of factory products, including porcelain and azulejos.

Can you see how ceramics were made? Former factory workers have recreated the production process in the museum's workshops, so a visit shows the technique as well as the finished objects.

Who is it for?

Design lovers, students of industrial history and fans of Portuguese ceramics, as well as travellers in Lisbon looking for something off the usual routes. Sacavém is close to the capital, so a visit is easy to combine with other plans northeast of the city.