Save this place and discover nearby attractions with NextOnTrip
In the app you can add it to your favorites, see what else is worth visiting nearby on the map, and earn a badge for your visit.
The app is available for iPhone and Android.
About this place
Museo da Emigración a Guinea Ecuatorial is a museum in Quintela de Leirado, in the province of Ourense in Galicia, devoted to people from the municipality and nearby villages who emigrated in the 20th century to the former Spanish colony of Fernando Poo, today Equatorial Guinea. It opened on 11 December 2021.
What is this museum?
The museum was created on the initiative of the Quintela de Leirado town council with support from the Diputación Provincial de Ourense. The province contributed 48,000 euros to adapt the building, and the opening, attended by provincial president Manuel Baltar and mayor José Antonio Pérez, was a major local event. The collection is built on photographs, documents and objects donated by residents, so the story is very personal and rooted in the shared memory of the area.
What will I see inside?
The exhibition combines audiovisual testimonies with objects. It tells of village life in the early 20th century, the decision to leave, work and daily life on the cocoa plantations, and the conditions of return when Equatorial Guinea became independent. Researchers identified the first emigrant from the area as Eloy Road, who went to the island around 1896 and bought a cocoa plantation. Locals then spoke of the "Valley of Fernando Poo". The project was supported by the art historian Carmen Güerri, a professor at the Complutense University of Madrid who was born in Guinea.
Where is it and how do I get there?
The museum occupies the multipurpose building (edificio multiusos) in Leirado, in the municipality of Quintela de Leirado. It is a small Galician village in Ourense province, so a car is the most convenient way to arrive.museum, launched in January 2022, before you travel.
Why visit?
The exhibition makes clear that emigration to Fernando Poo was a mass phenomenon for this part of Ourense: the very name "Valley of Fernando Poo" shows how strongly departures shaped the local community. The museum is not about high politics but about the fates of ordinary families, their memories and the objects brought back or kept after their return.
How long should I allow?
About an hour is enough to see the exhibition calmly and listen to the testimonies. The museum is a good complement to what you know of Galician emigration, which is usually associated with Latin America, and shows a lesser-known destination: equatorial Africa.
Frequently asked questions
When did the museum open?
On 11 December 2021.
What does the exhibition cover?
The emigration of people from Quintela de Leirado and nearby areas to Fernando Poo in the 20th century, and life on the cocoa plantations.
Who established it?
The Quintela de Leirado town council with support from the Diputación Provincial de Ourense.
Where can I find current information?
On emigracionaguinea.museum or at the town hall.
Nearby places
Earn badges for the places you visit
Download NextOnTrip, discover new places and check off your trails.