The Centre: Mission
The Serra da Estrela Sheep Interpretive Centre’s mission is to preserve, disseminate and increase appreciation for this native breed of sheep and its economic, historical and cultural importance in the Serra da Estrela region.
The Serra da Estrela Sheep is a key component of the cultural and economic identity and way of life of the Serra da Estrela, and ultimately one of its most genuine expressions, adopting and offering its name to a region.
The Centre is a tribute to the many generations that have brought the Serra da Estrela Sheep to the present day, a space for sharing knowledge and serving the community, encouraging reflection on the importance of preserving our cultural and economic identity and looking to the future and the constant need for updates and transformation required today.
The challenge ahead, maintaining this historical continuity and link with the past, will be to promote the Serra da Estrela Sheep as the vital link in increasing appreciation for local production and associated business activity.
To fulfil its mission, the Centre has a collection of objects from the past and present, arranged over three floors, which materialise the natural cycle of the Serra da Estrela Sheep.
The Serra da Estrela Sheep Interpretive Centre is thus an important component in the promotion and appreciation of the Serra da Estrela sheep breed. It is also a means of promoting and protecting this tangible and intangible heritage, which over the centuries has contributed to building and transforming the collective memory of the Serra da Estrela region.
