Museu dos Fósforos – Aquiles da Mota Lima

About the museum

The Museu dos Fósforos holds a collection of more than 60 thousand matchboxes, labels and matchbook covers, donated to the Municipality of Tomar in 1980 by Aquiles da Mota Lima, a native of the town. The collection began in 1953, during a boat journey to London for the coronation of Elizabeth II, when the collector met an American woman to whom he promised to send the most curious boxes he could find. The first two boxes commemorating the coronation started the collection.

With the help of family and friends, and through exchanges with other collectors, the collection grew to represent some 127 countries. After Aquiles da Mota Lima's death in 1984, his daughter Maria Helena carried on the project and arranged the museum's shelves as her father would have wished. Since 1989, one of the two cloisters of the Convento de São Francisco has housed the collection.

The collection is spread over seven rooms and includes subjects as varied as painting, historical events, personalities, literature, music, sport, science, religion, animals, landscapes and political propaganda. It is the largest philumenist collection in Europe and one of the largest in the world, and the museum continues to grow through purchases and donations.

Highlights

• More than 60 thousand matchboxes, labels and matchbook covers
• Collection from about 127 countries in seven rooms
• Housed in a cloister of the Convento de São Francisco
• Largest philumenist collection in Europe

Permanent exhibition

• Coleção filumenista Aquiles da Mota Lima – Matchboxes, labels and matchbook covers from about 127 countries, distributed across seven thematic rooms in the convent cloister.

Founded

1980

Operated by

Município de Tomar

Admission & discounts

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

No accessibility information stated in the sources consulted.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The museum is in the Convento de São Francisco, on Avenida General Bernardo Faria, in Tomar.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.