Museo Etnográfico del Oriente de Asturias

Museo Etnográfico del Oriente de Asturias is a small ethnographic museum in Porrúa, a village within the municipality of Llanes in eastern Asturias. Set inside a former farmhouse, it offers a look at how a rural Asturian family lived just a few generations ago.

How did the museum come about?

The story begins in 1994, when Teresa Sordo Sordo and Luis Haces Sordo — siblings born in Porrúa who had settled in Mexico — donated their family home and the surrounding Llacín estate for community use. That gift led to the founding of the Llacín Cultural Association, whose goal was to turn the inherited property into a space with a cultural and educational purpose. The museum itself opened its doors in 2000.

What is on display inside?

The exhibition covers roughly 400 square metres and is built largely around personal belongings and household items that once belonged to the Sordo family. The visit takes in the rooms of a typical farmhouse from the area: the entrance hall, kitchen, living room, bedroom, and the working areas of the property — the stable and a cider press used for making sidra, Asturian cider. The layout and furnishings give a clear sense of how domestic and farm work were organised in rural Asturias before mechanisation reached the countryside.

The museum's role goes beyond the permanent exhibition. It also acts as a small cultural centre documenting the customs, crafts and traditions of eastern Asturias — the area known locally as Oriente de Asturias, which includes Llanes and neighbouring municipalities such as Ribadedeva and Ribadesella.

Where is it and how do you get there?

The building sits in the El Llacín district of Porrúa, postcode 33509, within the municipality of Llanes. Porrúa lies a short distance inland from the coast, only a few kilometres from Llanes' main beaches, which makes the museum an easy add-on to a beach day — a chance to see the rural side of the region beyond the coastal tourist strip.

Who is this museum for?

It suits visitors interested in local history, ethnography and rural architecture, as well as families wanting to show children what daily life looked like before electricity and running water became standard. It's also a worthwhile stop for anyone exploring Asturias' quieter, lesser-known corners rather than sticking to its busiest attractions.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the Museo Etnográfico del Oriente de Asturias located? In the village of Porrúa, in the El Llacín district, within the municipality of Llanes, eastern Asturias.

When did the museum open? It opened in 2000, following the 1994 donation of the family home and Llacín estate by Teresa Sordo Sordo and Luis Haces Sordo.

What can visitors see during a tour? The rooms of a traditional farmhouse — entrance hall, kitchen, living room, bedroom, stable and cider press — along with original everyday items that belonged to the Sordo family.

Does the museum do anything beyond its permanent exhibition? Yes, it also functions as a local cultural centre that documents the traditions and crafts of the Oriente de Asturias region, including the areas around Llanes.