Silves Cork Museum at Fábrica do Inglês, which officially closed on May 18, is still the subject of debate about its future.
Official authorities consider that it is a great loss for Portugal and “something has to be done to bring this important infrastructure back to life”.
Director of the Portuguese Cork Association, Joaquim Lima, referred to the Cork Museum as a “project of national interest that must be preserved”.
He added: “Portugal is investing 21 million euros in promoting Portuguese cork in foreign markets. If people in other countries know that there is a Cork Museum in Portugal that went bankrupt, it will be adverse to the cork industry in Portugal.”
The director of Silves Cork Museum, Manuel Ramos, said: “It’s a pity to see the most important Portuguese Cork Museum with the doors closed. There were times when this museum was the most visited in the Algarve.
“It is such a shame to see tourists disappointed when faced with the closed doors of the museum.”
He added: “Silves Cork Museum is perhaps the most important museum in the world, with more than 100 years of history. We are trying to find a solution for this crisis,”
Manuel Ramos, who said the cork sector grew by five per cent in the first quarter of 2010, warned of the possibility of the increasing degradation of the museum and asked that Silves Câmara takes action, “before it’s too late”, to ensure the safety of the building and the maintenance of the surrounding garden.
Silves mayor Isabel Soares said: “This is not an easy situation to resolve but we are doing what we can in the best interests of the city’s cultural history.”
