Albufeira invests 350 thousand euros to “create” the most inclusive Museum in the Algarve

There are tactile pieces for the blind to feel, the floor has a protruding yellow line that indicates the meaning of the visit, making life easier for those with visual difficulties, the subtitles are in Braille, but also in Portuguese and English sign language, there is an interactive panel with explanations, provided with a game in between, there is virtual reality, videos with simple language, tablets with which the visit can be followed in five languages – Portuguese, Spanish, French, English and German -, a new entrance for people with mobility difficulties and a platform to access the basement.

These are, in short, the main improvements in terms of accessibility made at the Municipal Museum of Archeology in Albufeira, which opened this morning.

Carla Ponte, head of the Tourism, Economic and Cultural Development Division of the Albufeira Council, even stressed that this must now be «the only museum in the Iberian Peninsula» with English sign language.

The investment, of around 350 thousand euros, financed in close to 50% by Turismo de Portugal, was intended to «provide the space and surrounding area with all the necessary means to create an accessible route for all audiences, with interpretation and enjoyment in equal circumstances, regardless of their physical, cognitive, social or cultural aptitudes».

And, due to what was seen at the opening – with few people, divided into groups for the visit, all wearing masks, with many disinfectant dispensers – the result is exactly this: Albufeira has, at this moment, the most inclusive Museum in the Algarve.

Visit to the Museum – Photo: Elisabete Rodrigues | Sul Informação

The Albufeirense Archeology Museum, located in the historic center of the city, in the building where the City Council functioned for many years and where the first parish church of the then town had once stood – destroyed by the earthquake of 1755 – «does, on the day August 20, 21 years since it opened. Since then, it has not had major changes. Twenty years later, the motto for these changes had to do with accessibility», explained Carla Ponte.

“What you will find is a museum that is completely accessible, both in terms of physical mobility and in terms of intellectual accessibility. All content is now in five different languages, as well as in Portuguese Sign Language and English Sign Language,” he added.

The desire to make the museum inclusive is so great that, in the room dedicated to the former parish church, after placing two vinyl replicas of the tile panels of this temple today kept in the Sacred Art nucleus, «a tile with this same technique, so that people with visual impairments can feel what it was like», revealed Idalina Nobre, coordinator of the Museum.

This person in charge, who guided the visit of the group where the president of the Chamber and the regional director of Culture were, among other personalities, explained that only in one of the spaces was it not possible to create greater accessibility. «The Museum is installed in the secular houses of the City Council and has some restrictions from an architectural point of view».

President José Carlos Rolo visits the renovated and more accessible museum in Albufeira – Photo: Elisabete Rodrigues | Sul Informação

José Carlos Rolo, Mayor, in addition to announcing plans to build an extension to the museum, highlighted the importance of investing in accessibility: «Albufeira is a tourist city and we know that accessible tourism is increasingly important in Europe. We have a very rich environmental heritage, on our beaches, but we also have to complement the built heritage».

Adriana Nogueira, regional director of Culture of the Algarve, launched another challenge: that this built heritage be «complemented by the intangible heritage. It is necessary to preserve the memories and stories of older people, to transmit them not only to Albufeires, but also to tourists». Only in this way, he considered, are created "ties of belonging" to the same humanity.

In 2019, despite having been closed for works for half of the year, the Municipal Museum of Archeology of Albufeira received around 6 visitors. This year, with the fall in tourism – and after having been closed for months due to the pandemic – the numbers could be lower.

And it's a shame, because the Albufeirense museum, small but with a lot of history to tell, is well worth a visit. Also because now it can be complemented with a climb to the Clock Tower, located in the building opposite, where the Conservatory works, and, from there, from the top, admire the views over the beaches and the white houses.

Albufeira Municipal Museum of Archeology
Monday to Saturday from 9:30 am to 17:30 pm

Photos: Elisabete Rodrigues | Sul Informação