In 2025, the world marks 80 years since the end of the Second World War, the greatest conflict in human history and one of the most defining periods of our era. Widely regarded as the war of wars, with an unprecedented and global impact across all continents, the Second World War shaped modern society at every level – from politics to geography, from economics to technology, from science to culture.
To commemorate this historic milestone, the Museu do Caramulo presents the exhibition “The Second World War in Living Colour”, showcasing an extensive collection of original vehicles from both sides of the conflict, complemented by hundreds of period artefacts that tell stories of courage and resilience.
Started over two decades ago, this unique collection of nearly 40 vehicles is now being unveiled to the public for the first time. It reflects the remarkable engineering and creativity behind wartime machines – a testimony to the innovation driven by necessity. Spread across more than 1,500 m² and two separate buildings, the exhibition offers visitors a vivid and close-up experience with an exceptional variety of vehicles rarely seen in Portugal, many of them veterans of various Second World War theatres of operations. These include tanks, tracked armoured vehicles, light and medium command cars, troop and equipment carriers, as well as a wide selection of motorbikes and bicycles – and even a few unconventional machines such as an amphibious Volkswagen and an extremely rare tracked motorcycle.
Alongside this vehicle collection, visitors will also find hundreds of original artefacts from countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Soviet Union, Italy, Japan and even Portugal – used both on the front lines and on the home front, illustrating the crucial roles played by propaganda, rationing and innovation during the war.
But this exhibition goes beyond the visual. Through a fully bespoke Virtual Reality experience, specially developed for the occasion, visitors will be invited to immerse themselves in some of the conflict’s most iconic settings – placing them at the very heart of history.
According to Salvador Patrício Gouveia, Chairman of the Board of the Museu do Caramulo, “This is the largest exhibition ever staged by the Museu do Caramulo in its history – whether in terms of production, staff involved, investment, or exhibition area. To be able to display this entire collection, we’ve added around 900 m² to the museum’s route, through a specially adapted hangar now integrated into the visitor experience.” He adds, “By combining this collection with a sensory experience, we aim to offer an unprecedented sense of closeness to the Second World War – helping visitors to understand the efforts and sacrifices endured by those who lived through, or took part in, one of the most decisive moments in our history.”
With the support of the Ministry of Culture, BPI | La Caixa Foundation, the Municipality of Tondela, and the HISTORY Channel, “The Second World War in Living Colour” opens to the public on 2 August and will remain on display until 19 October, at the Museu do Caramulo.