museum · Biguaçu, SC
Museu Etnográfico Casa dos Açores
Housed in a colonial townhouse with sash windows, it's part of the listed Vila de São Miguel ensemble. The collection includes furniture, clothing and objects of Azorean culture, plus a model of a sugar mill and a life-size ox cart.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Museu Etnográfico Casa dos Açores
The Museu Etnográfico Casa dos Açores occupies a colonial townhouse in Vila de São Miguel, in Biguaçu, one of the settlements founded by Azorean immigrants on the Santa Catarina coast in the 18th century. The two-story mansion with sash windows forms, with the Igreja de São Miguel Arcanjo and the old aqueduct, an ensemble listed by Iphan in 1969.
The house dates from the first half of the 19th century and was built by farmer João Ramalho da Silva Pereira. In 1865 it passed to the Madeira family, who renovated it. The state government bought the property in 1978 and opened the museum in March 1979. Today it's run by the Fundação Catarinense de Cultura.
The collection shows how families of Azorean origin lived on the coast. There are folk costumes, musical instruments, basketry, household pottery, bobbin lace, sacred art and items related to whaling. The miniatures of cassava flour and sugarcane mills usually catch children's attention.
Around the townhouse there's a lawn and a grove, and the church and the aqueduct are a few steps away, so you can combine the visits. It's a short, relaxed outing, good for families and anyone interested in Azorean culture. The path has stone paving and a few steps, which can make access difficult for wheelchair users.
Before you go
Practical information
How much time to set aside
About an hour for the museum; allow more time to see the church, the aqueduct and the woods next door.
Best time
Year-round, preferably in the morning or mid-afternoon on a dry day, when you can also enjoy the lawn and the outdoor historic ensemble.
How to get there
It's in Vila de São Miguel, off the BR-101, in Biguaçu, about 20 km from Florianópolis. The easiest way is by car on the BR-101; the museum is next to the church and the aqueduct.
Tip
Admission is free and the museum opens Tuesday through Sunday; check the hours with the Fundação Catarinense de Cultura before you go, and take the chance to walk to the Igreja de São Miguel Arcanjo and the aqueduct.
A look at the place
Museu Etnográfico Casa dos Açores in pictures
These pictures are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs. They may differ from the place.
Click the picture to enlarge it.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Museu Etnográfico Casa dos Açores
Is there an entrance fee for the Museu Etnográfico Casa dos Açores?
No. Admission is free. Check the hours with the Fundação Catarinense de Cultura before your visit.
Where is the Casa dos Açores?
In Vila de São Miguel, in Biguaçu (Santa Catarina), off the BR-101, about 20 km from Florianópolis, next to the Igreja de São Miguel Arcanjo and the old aqueduct.
What's in the museum?
Folk costumes, musical instruments, basketry, pottery, bobbin lace, sacred art, whaling items and miniatures of cassava flour and sugarcane mills, which show the Azorean way of life on the Santa Catarina coast.
What's the history of the townhouse?
The mansion dates from the first half of the 19th century and was built by farmer João Ramalho da Silva Pereira. The state bought it in 1978 and it became a museum in 1979. It's part of the Vila de São Miguel ensemble, listed by Iphan in 1969.
How long does the visit take?
About an hour in the museum. Adding the church, the aqueduct and the woods next door, plan on a relaxed morning or afternoon.