Museu do Côa

The Museu do Côa, on the riverside of Vila Nova de Foz Côa, is the gateway to the valley of the rock art: the modern building, raised where the river Côa meets the Douro, gathers a collection dedicated to the engravings of the Palaeolithic and organises the guided visits to the rocks themselves, in the valley classified by UNESCO as World Heritage.

The museum

The museum was created by the foundation that manages the Côa Valley Archaeological Park, in a building of contemporary architecture raised beside the old customs house of the river. Inside, its exhibitions explain the world of the first artists of the Côa — the horses, aurochs and deer engraved in the schist — and the story of how the art was found and protected; outside, the museum is the departure point for the tours that take visitors to the engraved rocks, with the rangers of the park.

What to see

• The exhibitions on the engravings and the Palaeolithic artists of the Côa.
• The building of contemporary architecture by the riverside.
• The departure point for the guided tours of the rock sites.
• The views over the Douro, where the Côa ends its course.

Visiting

The museum is in the centre of Vila Nova de Foz Côa, beside the river bridges, and works with the archaeological park, organising the visits to the engravings with limited numbers of visitors each day; the times, tickets and bookings follow the official information of the foundation that manages the museum and the park.

Nearby

The valley of the Côa engravings, visited from the museum, and the hills of the Douro Internacional are the natural complements of the visit.

Information: arte-coa.pt.

Image credit: Museu do Côa, by Joseolgon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.