Taipa House Museum

The most beautiful sight on Taipa is this unusual museum, formed by five lime-green villas. The villas were summer residences built in 1921 by wealthy Macanese. Three hold permanent exhibitions, while the other two are used for receptions and special exhibitions. The House of the Regions of Portugal (Casa das Regiões de Portugal) has costumes and examines traditional Portugal. The House of the Islands (Casa das Ilhas) looks at the history of Taipa and Coloane, with displays devoted to the islands’ traditional industries: fishing and the manufacture of oyster sauce, shrimp paste and fireworks. The last is the Macanese House (Casa Macanese), a residence in local style; it looks like the dom e doña (husband and wife) living here just left. The furnishings – blackwood furniture and Chinese cloisonné with statues and pictures of saints and the Sacred Heart – offer a snapshot of life here in the early 20th century.