Lisbon’s Museum of Marionettes in Santos (Rua da Esperança, 146) houses a huge number of strange, spooky, and wonderful puppets from around the world and around the ages.
Seemingly just for children – it hosts puppet shows for the kids and offers classes in mask and puppet-making – this museum is not just for the young ones: it’s a great assortment of the weird, the macabre, and the rebellious. From Turkish shadow puppets to a life-size Don Quixote, the exhibits trace the evolution of one of the most provocative forms of artistic expression (puppets have always been a favorite medium of political satire, see Thatcher’s Britain, Putin’s Russia). And you’re likely to have it all to yourself while your boring friends stand in line for Belem Tower!
Hours: Tue – Sun, 10h – 13h, 14h – 18h. 5€ adults, 3€ under 30 (!!) and pensioners. Directions.