The safeguarding of the Vale de MilhaƧos Gunpowder Factory and the operational conservation of the steam generator and the steam engine

GraƧa Filipe

doi:10.37190/arc200103

Abstract

The subject of the article is the black powder factory in Vale de MilhaƧos in Portugal as an example of the protection of post-industrial heritage. Shown the process of transforming an active production facility into a museum. The steam powered production of black gunpowder in Vale de MilhaƧos began in 1896 using an innovative system for transmitting mechanical energy over distance by interconnecting the central power generation building with transmission houses for eight sets of production workshops. Steam powered production continued through to 2001 when the Black Gunpowder Circuit became an extension of the Seixal Municipal Ecomuseum under the management of the Seixal Municipality. This aimed to guarantee the preservation of the heritage, including the buildings, production machinery, equipment and utensils. Importantly the heritage was conserved in situ with operational steam-powered energy production, using expertise from past workers at the factory. This required multiple technical, administrative and heritage management procedures including heritage classification; registering of the pressurised industrial equipment; renewal of the licenses for such equipment with the respective economic and industrial public authorities (despite being industrially deactivated); contracting operators for their appropriate conservation within a museological context; and eliminating all black powder from the buildings and surrounding areas. Partnerships with universities and researchers were also developed, including the current project IH4Future ā€“ Material Culture, Scientific Culture: industrial heritage for the future under which researchers from historical, museological, material and conservation sciences are undertaking the material characterisation of the heritage on the site using multiple analytical techniques. These studies will provide knowledge on the industry history and technological development of the Vale de MilhaƧos Gunpowder Factory that will assist in its conservation and development as a museum.

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