A theoretical and practical course dedicated to the conservation of operational machinery in museum collections, with a focus on in situ industrial heritage and different museum contexts. Through a multidisciplinary approach, the main challenges associated with the conservation of working machinery are explored.
The course equips participants with the knowledge to assess, plan and implement strategies that reconcile material preservation with the maintenance of functionality, contributing to the safeguarding and enhancement of this heritage in a museum context.
In partnership:
19 and 20 October 2026
2 days
In-person
450€*
MAQU I focuses on the conservation of museum machinery maintained in working condition, a field that presents specific challenges for the preservation of industrial and technical heritage. Keeping machinery operational requires balancing the preservation of its materiality and authenticity with the maintenance of its functionality, while considering issues such as the use and wear of components, safety, available technical resources and the museum programme.
This two-day theoretical and practical course aims to contribute to the development of well-founded and adaptable strategies for operational conservation. Using in situ industrial heritage as a starting point, participants explore the different dimensions involved in the conservation of operational machinery, historical, technological, social, museological, engineering, and conservation and restoration, and examine the working processes required to understand, make decisions and intervene. The training includes the analysis of documentation, the technical reading of machinery, maintenance and safety issues, and the definition of criteria for decision-making.
Organised as part of the activities of the EPPIC group, MAQU I uses the Barbadinhos Pumping Station at the Museu da Água as a practical case study for examining machinery in operation and its relationship with the musealisation of in situ industrial heritage. This approach is complemented by contributions from professionals from different fields, encouraging comparison between contexts, the sharing of experiences, and the development of working methodologies that can be adapted to different institutional settings and resources.
*EPPIC partners are entitled to a 5% discount
MAQU I is structured into four theoretical and practical modules delivered over two days, addressing different dimensions of the conservation of museum machinery maintained in working condition. The training brings together historical, technological, sociological, museological, engineering, and conservation and restoration perspectives, providing an integrated approach that can be adapted to different institutional contexts.
The sessions combine theoretical presentations, case-study analysis and direct engagement with real situations involving the conservation and operation of machinery. The Museu da Água – Barbadinhos Pumping Station provides the main practical learning context, allowing participants to explore and discuss issues related to the musealisation of in situ industrial heritage, machinery operation, maintenance, safety and mediation.
The training encourages reflection and the exchange of experiences between professionals from different fields, exploring methodologies for understanding, decision-making and intervention in operational conservation. Throughout the course, participants address issues such as authenticity and functionality, component use and wear, risk assessment, maintenance, and the integration of conservation, operation and safety.
The course will take place in person in Lisbon, at the Museu da Água – Barbadinhos Pumping Station, providing participants with a real-world learning environment and direct contact with industrial heritage in operation. At the end of the course, participants will receive a Certificate of Attendance.
The course aims to provide participants with the knowledge and skills needed to understand, assess and plan the conservation of museum machinery maintained in working condition, drawing on different disciplinary perspectives. By the end of the course, participants should be able to:
The course is aimed at professionals, students and others interested in developing their knowledge and skills in the conservation of machinery and technical-industrial heritage maintained in working condition. It is particularly relevant for:
Museologist and Researcher at HTC – NOVA FCSH/CEF-UC
Her research focuses on heritage designation processes and their relationship with public policy; the transformation of post-industrial sites into museums; the conservation and valorisation of industrial and technical heritage; community participation in heritage and museum practices; and the history of industry in Portugal during the 19th and 20th centuries.
She holds a degree in History, a postgraduate qualification in Social Museology, and a Master’s degree in Museology and Heritage.
She worked as a senior officer at Seixal Municipal Council from 1989 to 2026, where she was involved in various areas of heritage in connection with territorial development and directed the Seixal Municipal Ecomuseum until 2009.
She was also a visiting lecturer at NOVA FCSH from 2006 to 2023, teaching on the Master’s programmes in Museology, Cultural Practices for Local Authorities, and Heritage.
Metal conservator-restorer and researcher at LIBPhys, NOVA School of Science and Technology NOVA-FCT
Isabel Tissot is a metal conservator-restorer and researcher at LIBPhys, NOVA FCT. She holds a PhD in Engineering Physics and a Master’s degree in Applied Electrochemistry from the University of Lisbon, a degree in Conservation-Restoration from NOVA FCT, and a Bachelor’s degree from the former Lisbon Higher School of Conservation-Restoration. She received a scholarship from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation to study conservation at the Institut Royal du Patrimoine Artistique (IRPA-KIK) in Belgium. She is a member of the EPPIC coordination team.
With over 20 years of professional experience, she has worked in both the public and private sectors, notably at the former Portuguese Institute for Conservation and Restoration, Archeofactu, and the Haute-École Conservation-Restauration in Switzerland. She has taught metal conservation at the Polytechnic Institute of Tomar and the Portuguese Catholic University, and currently teaches at NOVA FCT.
Her research focuses on the study, conservation and valorisation of metal, industrial, scientific and technical heritage through analytical and interdisciplinary approaches that integrate both its tangible and intangible dimensions.
Researcher at LIBPhys and a collaborator at VICARTE, NOVA School of Science and Technology NOVA-FCT
Marta Manso is a researcher at LIBPhys and a collaborator at VICARTE, both part of NOVA School of Science and Technology. Her research focuses on the development of analytical methodologies for the study and preservation of cultural heritage, with an emphasis on industrial and scientific heritage.
She holds a PhD and a degree in Physics from the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Lisbon. Since 2006, she has worked in the field of cultural heritage, encompassing graphic documents, painting, tiles, and metals, in collaboration with various national and international institutions, both public and private, in the fields of history, conservation and restoration, and materials science, including museums, archives, and scientific laboratories.
She is also an assistant professor at the Department of Art and Heritage Sciences of the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Lisbon, where she is dedicated to training new professionals.
Her mission is to contribute to the safeguarding of industrial and scientific heritage, promoting its study, appreciation, and integration into society’s collective memory.
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