The Macao Museum is not simply located in an old building—it is housed within the Fortaleza do Monte, a fortress that is itself the main exhibit. This citadel was built by the Jesuits between 1617 and 1626 to protect their College of St. Paul from pirates and potential attacks. The fort, built for military purposes, never saw real combat. In 1965, the fortress was demilitarized, and its premises stood empty for a long time until it was decided in 1998 to create a museum here, which became a gift for the handover of Macao`s sovereignty to China.
Architecture and Structure of the Museum: 3 Floors
The museum is located on three underground levels, built into the body of the fortress hill, creating a feeling of immersion in the past. Each level is dedicated to a different era:
Level 1 (Underground): "The Origins and Early History of Macao"
Here, history begins long before the Portuguese. The exhibition is dedicated to ancient villages, fishing communities, and the first contact between the two civilizations. Key exhibits:
• Neolithic stone anchors and fishing gear found on Coloane Island.
• The "Canton-Marca" map from 1588—one of the first European maps to mention Macao.
• Documents and artifacts illustrating the arrival of Portuguese navigators in 1553-1557 under the pretext of "drying goods" after a shipwreck.
Level 2 (Underground): "The Popular Arts and Traditions of Macao"
This is the heart of cultural identity. The exhibition is dedicated to the synthesis of Chinese and Portuguese traditions that created the unique Macanese identity. Key exhibits:
• A full reconstruction of a traditional Chinese-style pharmacy with hundreds of wooden herb drawers.
• A collection of theatrical masks and costumes from Chinese opera.
• A model of a tea house and a complete set for the traditional tea ceremony.
• Installations dedicated to festivals: Dragon Boats, the Hungry Ghost Festival (Bunyam), and the Portuguese Carnival.
Level 3 (Underground): "Contemporary Macao"
Here, history comes to life through interactive technology, showing the rapid transformation of the 20th-21st centuries. Key exhibits:
• Touch screens and 3D models demonstrating the city`s growth and land reclamation.
• A collection of old photographs and films capturing life in Macao in the 1930s-70s.
• A multimedia installation dedicated to the moment of the handover of sovereignty on December 20, 1999.
Trade Links and the Importance of Macao as a Colony:
Macao was not simply a "colony" in the classical sense. It was the first and oldest European enclave in China, functioning as a vital transnational hub. Its importance was threefold:
1. "Gateway to China": For nearly 300 years, Macao was the only legal trading post between China and Europe. From here, silks, porcelain, tea, and lacquerware went to the Old World, while silver from Mexico and Peru, as well as European goods, entered China.
2. Transshipment Point for Global Routes: Macao was a key node on the routes of the "Manila Galleons" (linking the Philippines with Mexico) and the trade between Goa (India) and Japan. It became a bridge between Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, and Chinese trading networks.
3. Missionary Center: It was from Macao that Jesuits, such as Matteo Ricci, entered the Forbidden City in Beijing, acting not only as priests but also as scientists, cartographers, and diplomats, exchanging knowledge between East and West.
Macao`s importance began to fade only after the establishment of British Hong Kong in 1842, but its unique cultural blend was already irreversible.
The Most Interesting Museum Exhibits:
Collection of antique cannons from Monte Fort. The cannons themselves, positioned on the fortress ramparts around the museum, are its "natural" exhibits. They were cast in Macao in the 17th-18th centuries and bear the coats of arms of Portugal.
Painting "View of Macao" (c. 1830s). A large-scale canvas depicting the harbor, junks, churches, and colonial buildings in detail. It allows you to literally "step into" the cityscape of the century before last.
"The Book of the Best Rules and Virtues" (1590). One of the first books printed in Macao using metal movable type with Latin script. Symbolizes the city`s role as a center of cultural exchange.
Model of the "Great Fire of 1835" that destroyed the Cathedral of St. Paul. A diorama with dramatic lighting shows the moment of the catastrophe that changed the city`s appearance, leaving only the famous facade.
Scroll with an imperial decree from the Qing Dynasty. A document officially regulating trade with foreigners in Macao, demonstrating the complex and often tense relations between the Portuguese administration and Chinese authorities.
The Macao Museum in Monte Fort is your first introduction to the city: here, in just a couple of hours, you will journey from an ancient fishing village to a unique Portuguese-Chinese enclave, discover how the tea and porcelain trade made it the "Gateway to China," see authentic 17th-century cannons, an ancient city map, and a diorama of the fire that destroyed the Cathedral of St. Paul. You will end your visit on the fortress walls with a stunning view of the modern metropolis.
