On Saturday April 23rd, 2022, the village of Caramulo witnessed the launch of the Caramulo Experience Center, its second museum dedicated to the culture of automobile passion. Conceived by the custodians of Museu do Caramulo – also famous for its extensive collection of cars, motorcycles and bicycles, alongside a historic art collection – the Caramulo Experience Centre is designed to enthral ‘petrolheads’ and motorsport enthusiasts alike. Its appeal encapsulates the essence of what it is to ‘breathe’ classic cars. The Caramulo Experience Center is just a stone’s throw away from Museu do Caramulo (1km).
The Caramulo Experience Center’s 2500 m2 site, houses a classic car repair and maintenance facility, an archive depot of all Museu do Caramulo’s non-displayed items, an exhibition area, a documentation centre, a classic car parts shop, meeting and conference rooms and a vibrant cafeteria. Furthermore, visitors will find themselves immersed in a unique atmosphere accentuated by hundreds of original and historic items, connecting them to the glamorous world of motor racing. It is a cosmos of automobile rarity, housing gas pumps, light signals, posters over 100 years old and original paintings that have seen the limelight as part of iconic 20th century advertisements. The items that decorate every corner of the facility is steeped in legend, each telling a unique tale that will both seduce and educate car racing and motor vehicle enthusiasts alike.
In addition to its precious content, visitors to the facility may also experience the thrill of a ride in a classic car, creating memories to forever cherish.
According to a Museu do Caramulo management spokesperson, “Ever since it was first thought of in 2018, we’ve been meaning to make the Caramulo Experience Center a museum different from all the others. We have sought to complement a visit to the Museum’s collection with an altogether unique and unrepeatable experience, insofar as the Caramulo Experience Center is never enjoyed the same way twice. Not only because visits are always guided and customized, thus highlighting and focusing on what visitors most appreciate, but also because every day this living museum has a different set of cars on display, as they are constantly rotated between maintenance or in-circulation status.”
Regarding activities, a spokesperson stated that “The Caramulo Experience Center has been designed to provide programs, visits and experiences suited to all potential audience types, whether they are ‘petrolheads’, families, school groups or even companies needing to engage in public relations or team-building activities.”
The Caramulo Experience Center is not all about its on-display content. The new project’s management also want it to be a source of technical and historical knowledge creation and dissemination. The venue will hold on-site masterclasses with specialists, deep-diving the multi-faceted task of preserving and maintaining collector vehicles, with the sessions simultaneously streamed on the internet. An educational legacy will be realized by providing technical training for a brand-new generation of enthusiasts, passing on to them time-honoured knowledgebase and old techniques, lost over time. This preservation will take the form of apprenticeship programmes designed for pupils with engineering or technical backgrounds.
Among the Caramulo Experience Center’s founding partners are some nearly century-old motor industry brands who share a passion for preserving automotive heritage. These partners include BP Ultimate, Castrol, Glasurit, Milwaukee, the Fidelidade insurance company and Strong Charon.
The Caramulo Experience Center was inaugurated by the Portuguese President on Saturday, April 23rd, following an opening ceremony. We are open and welcome all.