Exposição «O Movimento Operário Chapeleiro»

About

This temporary exhibition at the Museu da Chapelaria tells the story of workers in the hat-making industry of São João da Madeira, a city that was the Portuguese hat capital for decades. The workers' movement in the sector was distinguished early on by its organization, class consciousness and ability to act collectively. The exhibition recalls the lived experiences, struggles and forms of organization of these workers. The exhibition path crosses workers' press, period documentation and memories of factory work. It shows how the collective organization of large companies and strikes and protests for labor rights and better living conditions helped build a fairer world of work. The curation is shared between the museum and historian Inês Resende, a native of the city, whose research provided part of the content. The exhibition is in the Sala dos Usos Sociais and is directed mainly at residents of São João da Madeira, invited to recognize themselves as heirs to a past made in factories. It also interests those who want to know about the history of work in Portugal.