SKOPE – Health and Medicine Museum

Academia

The Casa Hermes Foundation (FCH) achieves its mission of promoting health education through Skope – Health and Medicine Museum, a space devoted to the history of medicine and the sharing of knowledge on healthy lifestyles. It functions as both an educational hub and a place for leisure.

 

Educational programme for schools
The FCH offers an annual educational programme for schools, featuring six themed activities aligned with the academic curricula of different stages of education.

 

Healthy eating
As part of its partnership with the NOVA Medical School, the FCH provides healthy eating tips and recipes in the museum and on its digital platforms. It also organises workshops and community initiatives.

 

Academic scholarships
The FCH, in partnership with the Duarte Tarré Association (ADT) since 2022, supports young people studying at universities in the region north of the Mondego River, contributing with an annual academic scholarship and complementary training on various subjects.

Currently, 22 students are receiving support at the universities of Aveiro, Porto and Beira Interior, and more than 500 scholarships have been awarded by ADT since it was set up.

Research

Research
The Casa Hermes Foundation (FCH) welcomes students and health professionals to study topics and objects related to the history of medicine and health sciences. It does so in partnership with the NOVA Medical School, the NOVA Faculty of Science and Technology and the Portuguese Medical Association.

Material study, conservation and restoration
Through its partnership with the Laboratory for Instrumentation, Biomedical Engineering and Radiation Physics at the Faculty of Science and Technology of NOVA University Lisbon, the FCH collaborates on technical activities focused on studying and preserving the historical assets in its collection. This includes examining the materials from which they are made, the techniques used to create them, and methods to conserve and protect them for the future.

Community

The FCH runs a series of community initiatives aimed at promoting health and healthy lifestyles, including screenings, awareness campaigns and educational activities.

Aradas Campus

Three kilometres from the centre of Aveiro, the Aradas Campus is a circular economy project dedicated to knowledge, health and longevity. The buildings for Skope – Health and Medicine Museum and a multi-purpose hall are already completed, with two more buildings currently in the planning stage, which will include parking and green spaces, designed by Promontório Architects.

Covering a total area of 6,600 m2, the project honours the tradition of the original construction, a 19th century house in the style of brasileiro de torna viagem (literally “Brazilian returnee”). This style of building stands out for its original artistic avant-garde, based on the importation of international elements as a distinguishing factor and a testimony to the success of returning to one’s homeland.

It is also inspired by the vibrant, traditional houses of the Costa Nova beach near Aveiro, originally built by fishermen to store their equipment. These colourful structures, which began to proliferate in the 19th century, have since become an iconic architectural landmark of the region.

The Aradas Campus emphasises the harmonious relationship between its various spaces, blending tradition, regional identity and modernity. This balance is reflected in contemporary lines and materials, surrounded by expansive landscaped areas dotted with native trees and plants, recreating an atmosphere of health and well-being.

Find out more about the project here