The Museum’s long-term exhibition presents to the visitors, on the -1 floor an archaeological exhibit with traces found here. On floor 0, the memorial to the political prisoners and the building’s history; on floor 1, the characterization of the Portuguese dictatorial regime (1926-1974), its means of repression and oppression (the Censorship, the police and the political courts). On floor 2, the resistance of the oppositions (semi-legal and clandestine), prison, torture, isolation cells. On floor 3, the anti-colonial struggle and the independence movements of liberation, the overthrow of the dictatorship and the 25th of April 1974.

The temporary exhibition Women and Resistance – New Portuguese Letters and other struggles aims to reveal and highlight the contribution of so many women who, with different origins and paths, invented and concretized battles for their rights, social justice and freedom, from the 1930s until the 25th of April.

In April 1968, Augusta Conchiglia clandestinely entered Angola to report, with director Stefano de Stefani, on the ongoing liberation struggle. Until September, guided by MPLA guerrillas, they traveled hundreds of kilometers in the liberated areas of Moxico and Cuando-Cubango. Used by Sarah Maldoror and William Klein, Augusta Conchiglia’s images – which are not always credited to her – have become iconographic of the liberation struggle against Portuguese colonialism. This is a gesture of restitution, which projects the name of its author with her images.

In partnership with the Women’s Democratic Movement (MDM) we welcomed women from Marinha Grande who were resisting the dictatorship for a conversation about their memories of participating in strikes and workers’ struggles in the glass industry, of repression and imprisonment by PIDE, and of fighting for women’s rights and freedom.

On 25 September, the Museu do Aljube Resistência e Liberdade organises three guided tours aimed at different types of audiences.

Through the voice of other Marias we will dive into the “New Portuguese Letters” within the temporary exhibition WOMEN AND RESISTANCE – New Portuguese Letters and other struggles.