The “Piece of the Month” initiative aims to introduce visitors to selected objects from the Vila do Conde Museum collection in an unexpected setting, sparking curiosity and encouraging them to visit the Museum. Each month, different objects and documents from the Museum's collections are displayed at the Town Hall (Paços do Concelho).

For November, and in recognition of National Sea Day, celebrated on 16 November to mark the entry into force of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on 16 November 1994, the Vila do Conde Museum has chosen to mark this occasion by presenting a maritime signal lantern, or navigation light, from its extensive collection.

Maritime signal lantern or navigation light

This cylindrical lantern has a flat base and a red metal body, with an opening covered by a lid at the top, forming a chimney that provides access to the burner inside. Between the base and the chimney is a central glass section, featuring concentric rings and a 360-degree Fresnel lens, specifically designed to focus and amplify the light produced by the internal flame. Powered by a kerosene or petroleum burner, it emitted a red light that could be seen from many nautical miles away. Six metal bars surround the glass section, protecting it against impacts.

This type of lantern was traditionally used to signal the presence of vessels, particularly at night. Today, it is primarily kept as a decorative and collectible object.

Vila do Conde has historically maintained strong ties with the sea, a relationship that remains very much alive today. The Museum's maritime ethnography collection includes objects related to traditional fishing techniques, as well as a variety of artefacts reflecting the daily lives and traditions of Portugal's coastal fishing communities, with particular emphasis on the communities of Caxinas and Poça da Barca.