Itinerant Exhibition
& Book
Collection of memories, told in the first person, that shared the same space – the Hospital Colónia Rovisco Pais (Tocha – Cantanhede), the last and only National Leprosaria, specialized in the treatment of Hansen’s disease (1947 and 1996).

The “Hansen Stories” exhibition takes the visitor to a set of memories, told in the first person, who shared the same space – the Hospital Colónia Rovisco Pais (Tocha – Cantanhede), the last and only Leprosaria Nacional, specialized in the treatment of Hansen’s disease (1947 and 1996).
As part of the project “Rovisco Pais old leprosy – a museological nucleus and storytelling website” developed at the Center for Rehabilitation Medicine of the Centro Region – Rovisco Pais and supported by the Sasakawa Health Foundation (Japan), this exhibition includes a selection of fifteen “stories” from former users and former employees or visitors of the former Hospital of the collection published on the website with the same name and which have as a common characteristic the fact that they have never been shared.
This exhibition, which is easy to assemble and transport, can be given to institutions that wish to exhibit. The loan is free and must be requested through the form.
Hansen Stories exhibition has already been on display in the following locations:
• Cantanhede Municipal Library (March 16 to April 9, 2021);
• Figueira da Foz Arts and Entertainment Center (April 15 to May 30, 2021),
• Cultural Center of the Instituto Superior Politécnico de Coimbra (1 June to 30 July 2021).
• Municipal Museum of Praia de Mira (2 to 15 August 2021);
• Xávega Art Interpretation Center, in Praia da Tocha (August 17 to 30, 2021);
• University of Évora, within the scope of the VII Portuguese Conference on Paleopathology (9 to 25 September 2021)
• CIAS, University of Coimbra (27 September to 1 October 2021);
• João Brandão Municipal Library in Tábua (October 7 to 30, 2021);
• Marquês de Mariava Basic School (Cantanhede, November 8 to 12, 2021)
• Caldas Hospital and Museum (Caldas da Rainha, November 19, 2021 to January 15, 2022)
• Peniche Hospital (January 31 to February 21, 2022)
• Torres Vedras Hospital (February 21 to March 18, 2022)
• Higher School of Health – Higher Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo City) (25 April to 6 May 2022)
• Porto Higher School of Nursing (May 11 to June 16, 2022)
• Coimbra Hospital and University Center (June 22 to July 22, 2022)
• Institute of Social Sciences of the Minho University (13 and 14 October – 1st Seminar on the History of Health)
• São João de Deus Museum in Telhal (November 24, 2022 to January 12, 2023)
• Polytechnic Institute of Santarém (January 15 to February 3, 2023)
This exhibition, which is easy to assemble and transport, can be given to institutions that wish to exhibit. The loan is free and must be requested through the form.
HANSEN STORIES – AN EXHIBITION THAT TELLS STORIES ABOUT A HOSPITAL AND A DISEASE
In 2022, on the occasion of the 75th Anniversary of the opening of the Hospital, a book was published about the history of this therapeutic village, which included various memories collected within the scope of the same project.
