The Museu do Fado opened its doors in 1998 to celebrate Fado as a symbol and identity of the city of Lisbon and its roots in the country’s tradition and cultural history.
There is a permanent exhibition, which focuses on the history of Fado and the Portuguese Guitar and the museum regularly puts on temporary exhibitions. It also includes a guitar school, a specialised documentation centre, an auditorium, a gift shop and an impressive digital sound archive with recordings of Fado, going back to the early 20th century. The Oficina da Guitarra, in Largo das Alcaçarias 200 metres from the Museum, is a workshop area.
The educational service offers guided visits and singing visits.
The building that is now home to the Museum used to be a Lifting Station, constructed in the second half of the XIX century. The restoration project and extension of the building was designed by architects João and José Daniel Santa-Rita.
