Museu da Chapelaria

Museu da Chapelaria in São João da Madeira is the only museum on the Iberian Peninsula devoted to hat making. It sits inside a former factory on Rua Oliveira Júnior in northern Portugal, not far from Porto.

What is the Museu da Chapelaria?

The museum opened on 22 June 2005, inaugurated by the then Portuguese president Jorge Sampaio. It occupies what remains of the Empresa Industrial de Chapelaria Lda., a company that was once the largest hat factory on the whole Iberian Peninsula. It is one of the main stops on the city's industrial tourism route.

What is the history of the factory?

The company was founded in 1914 by António José de Oliveira Júnior. Its story follows the whole twentieth century of Portuguese hat making: mechanisation in the early 1900s, a peak in the 1940s, and a gradual decline from the 1950s onward. The factory finally closed in 1995. Today its halls tell the story of the work, the machines and the people who shaped daily life in São João da Madeira for decades.

What will you see inside?

The permanent exhibition follows the stages of making a hat and shows historic machinery and objects from the trade. In early 2025, around the museum's twentieth anniversary, it closed for roughly six months of renovation. It reopened with a reworked permanent exhibition, better accessibility for visitors with reduced mobility, and two temporary exhibitions linked to the fashion house Dior.

The site also includes:

• an official museum shop,
• a 105-seat auditorium,
• a documentation and research centre,
• a recreation room,
• a restaurant.

Are guided tours available?

Yes. From Tuesday to Saturday, guided visits are offered to groups of more than five people. They are led by trained guides, including former workers from the hat industry who speak from first-hand experience. That makes the visit more than a walk past display cases.

How do you plan a visit?

The museum is at Rua Oliveira Júnior 501, 3700-204 São João da Madeira. Group visits are booked through the Turismo Industrial office on 256 200 204. Since the renovation, it is worth checking opening hours on the museum's official website before you travel. Allow roughly one and a half to two hours.

Frequently asked questions

Is it really the only museum of its kind in the region? Yes, it is the only museum on the Iberian Peninsula dedicated to hat manufacturing.

When was the factory founded? In 1914, and it closed in 1995.

Can you eat on site? Yes, there is a restaurant within the museum.

Is there a shop? Yes, the official museum shop sells hat-related souvenirs.

Is it accessible for visitors with reduced mobility? After the 2025 renovation the building is more accessible than before.

The museum pairs well with other industrial tourism sites in São João da Madeira, a town known for its hat and footwear traditions. It is a rewarding stop for anyone curious about how Portuguese industrialisation looked from the inside, and it works as a short day trip from Porto.