Tucked into Portugal’s Aveiro district lies São João da Madeira, the country’s smallest municipality, which measures just eight square kilometers! Yet, despite its modest size, this town has made a huge contribution to global fashion and culture, especially when it comes to hats. From the Vatican to Hollywood, from airline uniforms to law enforcement headgear, São João da Madeira has made hats for people around the world.
John Wayne wore one. So did James Stewart and Humphrey Bogart. Indiana Jones’ legendary fedora? Made here. The stylish hats of Johnny Depp in Public Enemies? Same place. Even Pope Francis, the British female police force, and Qatar Airways flight attendants have all worn hats crafted in this Portuguese town. Will you be the next? The tradition lives on through generations of craftsmanship, and there’s no better place to explore that legacy than the Hat Museum (Museu da Chapelaria).
History and Industry Combined
Opened in 2005, the Hat Museum is located in a building that once housed Portugal’s largest and most influential hat factory. It used to be the engine of a booming local industry, but the building now preserves that history for proud locals and curious visitors. Its transformation into a museum keeps São João da Madeira’s story alive through storytelling and hands-on exhibits.
The museum is a tribute to the generations of craftsmen, designers, and laborers who helped put this little known town on the map. As you walk through the permanent exhibitions, you can explore a collection of old hats and machines and step into the lives and stories of the people who made them.
A Multisensory Experience
The exhibits in the Hat Museum offer a truly multisensory experience. The exhibit is designed to immerse visitors in the full scope of hat production, which has changed surprisingly little over the past century. You can see the enormous machinery once used in the manufacturing process, touch the raw materials like wool and fur felt, and even smell the distinctive scents of dye, steam, and leather that still linger in the fibers.
Audio elements allow you to hear the rhythmic clatter of machines once operated by dozens of factory workers. You’ll gain insight into each of the twenty-plus stages of production from the initial cleaning and shaping of raw materials to the final blocking, stiffening, and trimming of the finished hat.
Along the way, personal accounts and photographs capture what life was like for the men and women who spent decades working in the factory. Their pride, skill, and community spirit give visitors a rare glimpse into the heart and soul of Portugal’s industrial history.
Hats That Made History
Of course, the stars of the show are the hats themselves. A dazzling variety of styles are on display, many of which became emblematic in different parts of the world. Cowboy hats from Texas, red fezzes from Morocco, and aristocratic top hats once worn by European nobility. Each of these hats has a story, and every one of them has roots in São João da Madeira.
A highlight of the exhibit is the celebrity connection. You’ll find replicas of the fedoras worn by screen legends like Buster Keaton and Cary Grant in addition to the feathered ceremonial hats of popes and high-ranking clergy.
Visit Fepsa, a Fully Operational Hat Factory
Visitors are encouraged to schedule a tour at Fepsa, a modern, fully operational hat factory a short 6-minute drive away.
Fepsa is responsible for producing nearly one-third of all fur felt used in hats globally. If you’ve ever seen a Chanel wide-brim or the classic lines of a Prada bucket hat, chances are the felt came from here. The factory caters to haute couture powerhouses such as Hermès, Prada, Chanel, and Borsalino, but also supplies felt for traditional ceremonial and cultural headwear across Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
Fepsa’s operations are a masterclass in balancing tradition with technology. Walking through the factory, you’ll witness the evolution of techniques passed down through generations.
Plan Your Visit
The Hat Museum is easy to access from Porto, located just 40 minutes away by car or 1.5 hours by train via Espinho (check times on Google Maps).
Address – R. António José de Oliveira Júnior 501, São João da Madeira, Portugal
Opening Hours –
Tuesday to Sunday: 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM and 2:00 PM – 5:30 PM, Closed on Mondays, January 1, Easter Sunday, and December 1.
Tickets to the Hat Museum cost €3. Guided tours cost €4 with a minimum of 5 people. Contact the museum in advance to check about guided tours. Parking is free.
Visitors with a Senior or Youth Card (including municipal cards) receive 50% off the regular ticket price. Free admission is offered on Sundays from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM for people who live in or are originally from São João da Madeira. Free entry also applies to local schools, youth programs, social institutions, volunteer firefighters, former hat industry workers, museum donors, and people with disabilities of 60% or more (plus one essential companion). Children under 12 also get in for free unless part of a group visit with a school or organization. Tour group organizers also benefit, with one free ticket for every 10 visitors.
Fepsa (R. de Cucujães 192, São João da Madeira) is open from 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM from Monday – Friday if you’d like to purchase one of their hats. You can also order online.
