Francisco Peralta Puppet Collection, Segovia

The Francisco Peralta Puppet Collection is a remarkable museum located in Segovia. Opened in 2014, the museum showcases the exceptional work of renowned puppeteer Francisco Peralta. The collection consists of 38 puppets donated by Peralta himself, a talented puppeteer and recipient of the Silver Medal for Merit in Fine Arts.

Peralta's wife, Matilde del Amo, played a significant role in the museum, designing and creating the intricate costumes and textile accessories for the puppet scenes. The museum occupies both floors of the cube-shaped Puerta de Santiago, featuring informative panels that provide insights into the plot and characters of each work.

The ground floor exhibits puppets constructed by students under Peralta's guidance, showcasing his dedication to teaching and passing on his knowledge. On the upper floor, visitors encounter the largest puppets in the collection, accompanied by an audiovisual projection featuring Francisco Peralta skillfully manipulating a puppet with a wide range of movements.

Peralta meticulously designed and crafted the puppets starting from the 1950s, utilizing a variety of materials such as wood, bandages, plaster, rabbit tail, recycled household items, fabric, and metal elements. The puppets feature different manipulation systems, allowing for diverse movements and expressions.

The puppets represent a wide range of characters from popular ballads, classical literature, and quality children's narratives. Notable characters include the Countess of the Romance of Count Flores, Belisa from Lope de Vega's "Los melindres de Belisa," King Charlemagne and Melisendra from Falla's "El retablo de Maese Pedro," don Gaiferos, the ignorant cleric, Harlequin, characters from "The Night," Colás from Mozart's opera "Bastien and Bastienne," and the mice from the story "Frederick."