The Volcanospeleologic Museum is at the ground floor of Montanheiros Association Headquarters, at Rocha Street 8, in Angra do Heroísmo city.

1.NORMAL OPENING HOURS  *:

MONDAYS to FRIDAYS

08:00 -12:h00 and from 13:00 – 16:00
 

* Closed on national and regional holidays. Schedule subject to change. Closed on the Dez. 24th, 25th, 30th, 31st  and on January 1st.

2.ENTRANCES: Free (donations are gratefully accepted )

3.VISITATION RULES:

– Closing hours at 12:00 and at 16:00

– Visits last approximatly 15-30min (depending of visitors interest)

– Non-guided visits, a briefng is given at the begining of the visit

– Guided visits just by booking (school groups)

– It’s not allowed to touch surfaces and equipments

– It’s not allowed to eat or drink inside the museum

– It’s not allowed to collect images and sound of Montanheiros employees and other visitors

– It’s allowed to take pictures and footage only of the exhibition

4.OTHER USEFUL INFORMATIONS:

– Free Wifi

– Bathroom available

– Acess ramp for persons with reduced mobility

Volcanospeleologic Museum

Since the beginning of their activity, the Montanheiros have shown a strong connection to matters of geology, as well as a very special appreciation for the unique formations and natural structures that volcanic cavities contain.

With the first speleological expeditions also came the first samples, brought to light for scientific purposes and, obviously, to arouse people’s curiosity, enticing them to a cause that was then taking its first steps.
One after another the samples became a set worthy of being displayed.

The Museum

Unfortunately, economic conditions, not very favorable, greatly limited the pretensions of this still young association. However, in a very rudimentary way, on simple shelves, a permanent exhibition was set up that, at the time, already attracted some curious people. It was the late 1960s.

Over time, more expeditions, more field work was carried out, and it was slowly but surely possible to collect a vast collection in a museum space always adapted for the effect, were it not for the fact that in the 1970s the association was still in rented headquarters. From time to time, exhibitions were organized for the interested population, in which the material was presented in a more careful way.

In the 1980s, after the acquisition of the ruins of the building that would become the first headquarters of the association, the reconstruction was planned with a purpose-built space. The designation “exhibition” was abandoned and replaced by “museum-room”. But here, too, progress was partial: the dignification of the space was not matched by the adequacy of the equipment, such as the exhibitors. This new space was given the name “Machado Fagundes” volcano speleological museum, in an invocation to the memory of a partner to whom the Montanheiros owed a lot.

Over time, “Os Montanheiros” came to enrich their museum-room with various formations, characteristic of the volcanic cavities scattered throughout the archipelago, thus making up the rich collection of samples that they have and allowing visitors and specialists to gain a greater understanding of the geology of these islands.

Such a valuable material, as the one that can be found here, by itself would justify an important investment in its arrangement and exhibition. Aware of this importance, over the years, the museum space has been improved, and new exhibitions have been set up, to be seen on the occasion of the association’s anniversary celebrations and whenever the request of those interested coincided with the possibilities of the Direction’s elements in providing the entrance.

During the 1990s, work was done to enlarge the museum-room, as well as several improvements to the space and support structures, transforming it into what is now pretentiously called a vulcanoespeleological museum.

In this space, where various materials and structures resulting from the volcanic genesis of these islands are represented, it is also possible to find a 3D model representation of 6 of the 9 islands of the Azores, a xylotheque, a collection of clay from Terceira, fossils, an extensive set of photographs of landscapes of the islands, and a representation of the protected areas in the Azores.
Nowadays it is visited by many hundreds of curious and interested people, including many school groups. It is now a space of didactic action for the students who visit it, and at the same time it supports the knowledge of all visitors who come to these parts.