Amália Rodrigues was a famous Portuguese singer and is known as one of the greatest exponents of the Portuguese singing genre known as “fado.” Rodrigues is most famous because through her bravura and poetic soul she made fado known internationally. The Amália Rodrigues Museum was built in what was once her home since this in the years after her death had become a place of pilgrimage for many fans of this musical genre.
Inside, the house has maintained the furnishings, stage clothes and jewelry as well as the awards and recognitions obtained by the artist over time. The Amália Rodrigues Museum has been open since 2001, materializing one of Amália’s wishes: to share with her listeners even her most personal and intimate side.
The Amália Rodrigues Museum is located at 193 São Bento Street in Lisbon inside what was the singer’s home for 44 years. The building in pre-Pombalino style (Portuguese architectural trend of the 17th century) covers about 415 square meters, of which 200 square meters correspond to the building while the rest to a patio with garden.
The building dates from the mid-18th century and is covered with blue tiles from the 17th and 18th centuries. The entrance is on the ground floor, while the museum tour is on the first and second floors. The interior of the house remains exactly as Amália left it with the original furnishings and decorations that allow us to learn more about her personal and eclectic taste.
Not to be missed is a visit to the salon where Amália over the years invited Portuguese poets, musicians and actors of the 20th and where she recorded an album with Vinicius de Moraes in 1968. There are also numerous paintings present and created by important Portuguese artists such as Pinto Coelho, Ribo, Van Boomen, Menez, Cargaleiro, Jacinto Luís and Eduardo Malta. Musical instruments could not be missing: a Portuguese fado guitar, a 19th-century mandolin and a Petrov baby grand piano are housed here.
The House-Museum also houses a collection of about 150 dresses that the singer used during her performances. Since the beginning of her career, Amália has paid close attention to her image. The Portuguese vocalist also collaborated with many Portuguese designers such as Pinto de Campos, Ana Maravilhas and Teresa Mimoso, who made her some of the dresses on display here. Only since the 1970s has Amália begun wearing dresses made by her personal seamstress, Ilda Aleixo.
Not only dresses, the singer-songwriter also loved shoes of which she was a true collector. At the museum, 219 pairs are preserved between stage shoes and those for formal events. The most important are definitely those she used during performances that always had a very important heel since Amália wanted to mask her 1.58 meters height.
Her care for images and passion for fashion meant that Amália also had several pieces of jewelry, mostly made by Portuguese artists. Among the most spectacular are the long earrings with brilliants that because of their brilliance were visible during performances from the very back row. In addition there are bracelets, rings, necklaces, and earrings made of gold, diamonds, and stones dating back to the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. Within the collection is a special feature: the Cartier necklace made of white gold, diamonds, rubies and emeralds of French origin.
Having performed in different parts of the world, Amália has become internationally famous and her skill has resulted in her receiving international awards and recognition. It seems, in fact, that Amália is still the most decorated Portuguese woman since she has received awards not only in Europe (Portugal, Spain, and France) but also in Israel, Lebanon, Brazil, Macau, Japan, the United States, and Canada.
The Amália Rodrigues Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Visits to the museum are by guided tours and ticket costs are:
The Amália Rodrigues Museum can be reached either on foot or by public transportation. On foot, the Museum is only 4 minutes from the Portuguese Parliament. Those traveling by public transportation can use the yellow subway line to Rato station or you can take Carris buses No. 706 or 727 to the Rua de São Bento stop.
The Amália Rodrigues Museum is located at Rua de São Bento 193 in the very center of the city of Lisbon, a short distance from the Parliament, the Príncipe Real Garden and the Royal Basilica.
City Card allow you to save on public transport and / or on the entrances to the main tourist attractions.
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