Museu do Fado

Fado is Lisbon’s own music, and the Museu do Fado tells its story from the streets of Alfama to the concert halls of the world. Recordings, instruments, photographs and personal objects trace the lives of the singers and musicians who created and renewed the genre, recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.

The story of fado

The museum opened in 1998 in Alfama, the neighbourhood where fado took shape in the nineteenth century. Its collection covers the whole history of the genre, from its popular origins to the careers of the great fadistas, and includes a documentation centre and a school for new performers.

What to see

• Historic recordings and instruments, including the Portuguese guitar.
• Photographs, posters and personal objects of fado singers.
• Temporary exhibitions on themes and figures of fado.
• A shop and documentation centre, with regular performances and events.

Visiting the museum

The museum is at Largo do Chafariz de Dentro 1, Alfama, Lisbon. Opening hours and tickets are published on the official website, so check before your visit.

Visitor information: museudofado.pt.

Image credit: Museu do Fado, Lisbon, by Vitor Oliveira, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. I Sé de Lisboa has heard the same city for almost nine centuries.