Lisbon has a lot to offer its guests interesting museums, art galleries and cultural exhibitions. It's easy to find a museum here to suit every taste, from museums that house collections of classical art to highly specialized museums, contemporary art galleries and educational informative museums. This article will introduce you to the best museums in Lisbon and their most famous exhibits.
Review of the best museums in Lisbon
Five best museums in Lisbon
– The museum is dedicated to the traditional craft of painting Azulejo clay tiles
– Home to one of Europe's finest private collections of art and artifacts
National Museum antique art– A huge collection of paintings reflecting the development of national art
– A unique collection of antique horse-drawn carriages
Berardo Museum of Contemporary Art– Modernism, pop art gallery
Alternative museums and galleries
Ciência Viva-Agência Nacional – Interactive Museum science - an ideal place for families with children
Lisbon History Center– Great place to get to know the history of Lisbon before exploring the city
Lisbon Aquarium– Amazing marine aquarium, one of the best aquariums in Europe
The Calçada da Gloria– A street where you can admire real masterpieces of street art in all its forms
Lxfactory– Art space hiding numerous controversial works of art
The distinctive blue and white glazed azulejo tiles, which decorate not only grand palaces but also humble homes, can be considered the most popular view art in Portugal. The National Museum introduces us to the evolution of traditional clay tile painting, from its origins in the Moorish era (10th century) to the present day. Here you can see some of the most famous works, created from azulejo tiles.
The museum's exhibits are located in chronological order, and many of the paintings and canvases created by the Azulejo masters are devoted to a religious theme, but there are exceptions, such as the panel “The Wedding of the Chicks”!
The traditional colors of Portuguese azulejo tiles are blue and white, but early and Flemish designs often used color combinations
Panel “Wedding of Chicks” created from azulejo tiles.....
The museum is located in a kind of monastery Mother of God, and its exhibition halls surround the central cloister of the monastery. The Neva of the monastery was completely restored and is a real masterpiece baroque art, richly covered with gilding.
The pearl of the museum:“Panorama of Lisbon” is a 35-meter panel depicting the Lisbon waterfront, which was created before the devastating earthquake of 1755.
Helpful information: The Azulejo National Museum is located 2.5 km from the city center, but, oddly enough, it is not so easy to get to. The only way to get to the museum is to take bus 759 or hire a taxi (€5-6)
Official website: http://www.museudoazulejo.gov.pt
One part of the panel “Panorama of Lisbon” shows Lisbon Castle and the Alfama district before the 1755 earthquake
The National Museum of Ancient Art is the national art gallery of Portugal, which houses a huge collection of various exhibits (more than 40,000), including many outstanding works and objects of art by Portuguese authors.
The museum was founded in 1834 to collect and preserve treasures and works religious art monasteries after the collapse of religious orders in Portugal. Since then, the collection has been constantly replenished with national treasures and examples of world and Portuguese art, and currently represents a huge collection of various exhibits, which will take you half a day to get acquainted with.
The "Temptations of Saint Anthony" is such an involved painting it needs time to sit and admire
Pearls of the museum:
“The Altarpiece of Saint Vincent” is a series of six paintings depicting the worship of King John and his children to Saint Vincent.
Unique Japanese Namban style screens illustrating the arrival of the Portuguese caravels. It is noteworthy that they were not going to be exhibited outside of Japan, most likely because they depict the Portuguese as dirty barbarians.
Official website: http://museudearteantiga.pt/
The Japanese, living in the 16th century, considered the Portuguese Namban-jin (southern barbarians), and Namban-style screens describe their arrival
The graphic depiction of Hell, created in 1514, is one of the best dramatic works art in the collection
The Calouste Gulbenken Museum houses one of the world's finest private art collections. That is why a visit to this museum can be a real holiday, and not only for true art connoisseurs. The museum's numerous exhibits represent different eras and genres: from Greek, Eastern Islamic and Egyptian artifacts to works and objects of classical European art the Renaissance and exquisite silverware from French jewelers.
The collection was assembled by the Armenian oil magnate Calouste Gulbenken, who emigrated to Lisbon during World War II. Having enormous funds, he could afford to acquire the best and most valuable artifacts and works of art for which this museum is famous. The Calouste Gulbenken Museum is surrounded by tranquil and beautiful gardens; here is also the Coleção Moderna, a museum that displays the works of contemporary Portuguese authors.
The Oriental-Islamic art
The collection includes beautiful artefacts from the far east
Our advice: The Calouste Gulbenken Museum and the National Museum of Ancient Art complement each other. When visiting Lisbon, we recommend that you visit both museums, but not on the same day.
Pearls of the museum:“Portrait of an Old Man” by Rembrandt (1645)
The sculpture “Diana” (1780), created for the Russian Tsarina Catherine II, was removed from the courtyard because it was considered too revealing and naked.
Official website: https://gulbenkian.pt/
The National Carriage Museum is one of the hidden gems cultural heritage Lisbon. It houses one of the largest collections of antique horse-drawn carriages that once belonged to the Portuguese, Spanish and French royal families.
These stately and opulent vehicles exude the luxury and wealth of the European elite. They amaze with their rich decoration, splendor, luxury and splendor of wood carvings. The collection features mainly ceremonial or ceremonial carriages, but there are also stagecoaches and even carriages for children.
Most of the carriages are located in a modern building
Some older carriages are displayed in the former royal riding arena
Don't miss the opportunity: The National Carriage Museum used to be located on the site of the former royal riding arena, which is part of the Belém Palace. Don't miss the opportunity to visit this majestic palace by purchasing admission ticket.
The most famous exhibits of the museum:
The carriage that King Filipe rode in 1670 is the oldest carriage in the collection
The carriage in which King Carlos and his son Luis Filipe were killed in 1908
Miniature carriages for children.
Official website:http://museudoscoches.gov.pt/pt/
Berardo Museum of Contemporary Art
If you are tired of the religious art, objects and works of art created by masters from previous eras displayed in the museums mentioned above, visit the Berardo Museum of Contemporary Art. Here is a private collection of modern surreal, abstract and pop art works such as famous artists like Pablo Picasso, Francis Bacon and Andy Warhol.
The permanent exhibition of this excellent museum is divided into two periods (1900-1960 and 1960-2010) and includes whole line outstanding works. The Berardo Museum is located in the Belem Cultural Center near the Jeronimite Monastery. This is a great place to get away from the crowds of tourists that flood the Belém area.
Official website:http://museuberardo.pt
Lisbon History Center
The Lisbon History Center is a museum complex that will introduce visitors to Lisbon to the history of the city and tell about its attractions that they can see during their stay in the Portuguese capital, using interactive models and screens, as well as an audio guide. This museum is best visited before starting to explore the city.
Official website:https://lisboastorycentre.pt/
Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology
The Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology is a huge innovative complex, the exhibits of which will cause mixed reactions from visitors. The museum is located in two different buildings: a former power plant building (where there used to be an electricity museum) and a new ultra-modern building, the exhibition of which is regularly updated.
In the museum building, where the former power plant is located, old boilers, turbines and generators have been completely restored. This part of the museum will certainly attract the attention of those interested in industrial equipment. The main halls of the museum, the exhibition of which is regularly updated, are located on the lower levels of the modern building.
Advice: Sometimes exhibits of an abstract genre that are not of particular interest are exhibited here. Therefore, before you buy an entrance ticket, make sure that the exhibition on display is worth your attention.
Official website:https://ccm.marinha.pt/pt/museu
Lisbon's museums are must-see attractions. Before visiting the capital of Portugal, each traveler determines for himself a list of the most interesting places. A holiday in the Portuguese capital will certainly be exciting and educational, because it combines rich historical heritage, a mixture of cultures, traditions and peoples.
Museu da Marioneta
The people of Portugal have always treated the history of their country with care and reverence. That is why Lisbon is unique and colorful - there is a lot of colorful, original, classical, modernism here. Check out the Lisbon Museum of Water, Carriages and Azulejo Tiles. Considering great amount museums in the city, it is important to draw up a route map, and our article will help you decide on your preferences.
The best museums in the capital of Portugal
Calouste Gulbenkian Museum
The attraction is located in the northwest direction from Commerce Square (Trading Square). The museum's exhibition includes more than 6 thousand works of art from different historical eras.
The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon was opened in 1969 according to the will of the oil magnate. Amazing sculptures and paintings are collected here. different eras and craftsmen, jewelry, unique creations self made. The entire collection belonged to Gulbenkian and bequeathed to the people of Portugal. The museum also houses the headquarters of the Sarkis Gulbenkian Foundation and a library where unique editions of books and documents are collected.
The museum presents two chronological exhibitions:
- works of art from Egypt, Rome, Greece, Persia, Japan and China;
- works of European art from the 16th to 20th centuries.
On a note! The main attraction of the Gulbenkian Museum is the collection of furniture from the time of King Louis XV and the amazing jewelry of René Lalique.
Important information:
- Address: Avenida de Berna 45a, Lisbon;
- When to come: from 10-00 to 18-00 (the museum is closed on Tuesdays and on holidays indicated on the official website);
- What is the price: 3-5 euros (temporary exhibitions), 10 € (fundamental and contemporary art collections), 11.50-14 € (visiting all exhibitions), on Sunday admission for all visitors to the Gulbenkian Museum is free.
The Azulejo Museum in Lisbon is a story of evolution unique painting, borrowed from Mauritania. This direction in art became especially popular in the 15th century, when the inhabitants of Portugal could not afford to decorate their houses with carpets.
The first Azulejo ceramic tiles were made in blue and white tones, then the painting changed in accordance with the styles popular at a certain time. historical period- Baroque, Rococo.
The Azulejo Museum has been welcoming visitors since 1980 and is located in the Shrine of Our Lady. Tourists are told about the origin of the style, the production of ceramic tiles and their use. The exhibits include ceramics from different eras.
Note! The main attraction of the Azulejo Museum is a panel depicting the capital of Portugal before terrible disaster 1755. Tourists are also attracted by the mosaic panorama of Lisbon.
Helpful information:
- Where to find: Rua Madre de Deus 4, Lisbon;
- Schedule: from 10-00 to 18-00, closed on Tuesday;
- Tickets: 5€ for adults, 2.5€ for students, free entry for children under 14 years old.
Church-Museum of St. Roch
For two centuries, the church building was occupied by the Jesuit community; after the disaster of 1755, the church passed to the house of mercy.
The temple is named after the saint who protected pilgrims and healed them from the plague. The building was built in the 16th century and is designed in the style of an auditorium, as it was intended for sermons. All chapels of the temple are decorated in the Baroque style, the most famous and notable being the Chapel of John the Baptist. It is recognized as a unique architectural project, which was worked on Italian masters. Construction took 8 long years in Rome. Upon completion of the work, it was consecrated by the Pope and the chapel was delivered to Lisbon by sea. The main attraction is a unique mosaic panel depicting scenes from the Bible.
From the outside, the temple looks more modest than other capital shrines, but inside it amazes with its luxury and splendor. Once inside, you want to study every curl of the stucco molding and touch every pebble of the mosaic.
Visiting information:
- Locations in Lisbon: Largo Trindade Coelho;
- Open: from October to March the museum welcomes guests from 10-00 to 18-00 from Tuesday to Sunday, from 14-00 to 18-00 on Mondays, from April to September - from 10-00 to 19-00 from Tuesday to Sunday, from 14-00 to 19-00 on Mondays;
- Price:€2.50, special card holders pay €1, annual ticket costs €25, family ticket costs €5.
The museum is located in the historical part of Portugal - Belem. Celebrations of the most important events took place here historical events for the country. The attraction is named after José Berardo, a well-known philanthropist and entrepreneur in Portugal. Negotiations on the construction of the facility between the country's authorities and Berard lasted almost ten years. The doors to view the exhibition opened to visitors in 2007.
The exposition is located in Belemsky cultural center and has more than a thousand items, and the total value of the collection is estimated at $400 million. Two floors are allocated for the works; in addition to sculptures and paintings, unique photographs are presented here.
Interesting to know! Works by Picasso, Malevich and Dali are exhibited here.
What you need to know:
- Address: Praça do Império;
- Working hours: daily from 10-00 to 19-00, if you want to see the collection on holidays, check the schedule on the official website (en.museuberardo.pt);
- Price: 5 €, children under 6 years old - free, from 7 to 18 years old - 2.5 €.
Archaeological Museum of Carmo
The ruins are located approximately half a kilometer from Commerce Square in a northwest direction. The monastery was built on a hill, opposite the castle of São Jorge. The easiest and fastest way to get to the attraction is on the Santa Justa lift.
The monastery was opened at the end of the 14th century and was the main Gothic temple of the capital. In its grandeur the monastery was in no way inferior Cathedral. The disaster of 1755 did not spare the monastery, which was completely destroyed. The restoration of the temple began during the reign of Queen Mary I. In 1834, repair and restoration work was stopped. The residential part of the temple was transferred to the Portuguese army. Since the end of the 19th century, the monastery has become an archaeological museum, where a collection dedicated to the history of Portugal is presented.
Contacts and prices:
- Address: Largo do Carmo 1200, Lisbon;
- Works: from October to May from 10-00 to 18-00, from June to September from 10-00 to 19-00, closed on Sunday;
- Ticket prices: 4 €, discounts for students and pensioners, free admission for under 14 years of age.
By the way, this object is located in: within walking distance there are restaurants, shops, and main attractions.
Science Museum
If you decide to visit the Science Museum in Lisbon, you can take a walk in the Park of Nations. The exhibition is displayed in the building where the Expo was held in 1998. During the international event, the Knowledge Pavilion was located here.
The museum began accepting visitors in the summer of 1999. There are permanent exhibitions here:
- “Research” - displays several main areas of activity, information stands contain information about the main achievements and successes, you can also conduct exciting experiments on your own;
- “Look and Do” - here visitors can show their courage and lie down on a board with nails, ride in a car with square wheels, or send a real rocket flying;
- “Unfinished House” - this exhibition is most loved by children, because they can try on an astronaut suit, turn into a real builder, having mastered different professions.
There is also a store where you can buy scientific and creative kits, educational toys, and thematic books dedicated to various sciences.
Interesting fact! According to statistics, almost 1000 people visit the site every day.
Contacts and prices:
- Where to find: Largo José Mariano Gago, Parque das Nações, Lisbon;
- Schedule: from Tuesday to Friday from 10-00 to 18-00, on Saturday and Sunday from 11-00 to 19-00, closed on Monday;
- Cost of visit: adult – 9€, children from 3 to 6 years old and pensioners admission – 5€, from 7 to 17 years old – 6€, children under 2 years old are free.
It is located nearby, which will allow you to combine a cultural program with a shopping trip.
National Museum of Ancient Art
The largest gallery in the capital, within the walls of which thousands of unique works of art are collected - paintings, sculptures, antiques (14-19 centuries).
Initially, the museum belonged to the Church of St. Francis, but as the exhibition increased, an additional building had to be built.
The exhibits are presented on several floors:
- 1st floor – creations of European masters;
- 2nd floor – works of art brought from Africa and Asian countries, the exhibition covers the period from the Middle Ages to the present day;
- 3rd floor – works of local craftsmen.
Receives the greatest attention from visitors famous painting Bosch "The Temptation of Saint Anthony".
Important information:
- Where to look: Rua das Janelas Verdes 1249 017, Lisbon 1249-017, Portugal
- Open: from Tuesday to Sunday from 10-00 to 18-00, closed on Monday;
- Price full ticket: 6€.
Portugal is known throughout the world as a maritime power, a country of ships. It is not surprising that one of the most popular and visited museums is Maritime Museum. Its exhibition is dedicated to the peculiarities of the structure of ships. The museum houses more than 15 thousand exhibits, the most interesting being life-size caravels and sailing ships.
Interesting to know! The Maritime Museum does not occupy a separate building, but is located directly in the Jeronimos Temple. One of the exhibits, a sailing frigate, is moored on the river; anyone can climb onto its deck.
While walking through the museum, visit the Hall of Discovery, where the personal belongings of the discoverers are collected, and the Hall of the Royal Cabins, where the chambers in which representatives of the royal families traveled were recreated.
Information for visitors:
- Address: Empire Square, Belem;
- Visiting time: from October to May from 10-00 to 17-00, from June to September from 10-00 to 18-00;
- Price: varies from 4 to 11.20€ depending on the exhibitions visited. All prices can be found on the website museu.marinha.pt.
The Pimenta Palace (Palácio Pimenta) is the main part of the Lisbon Museum. It presents an exhibition telling about the history of the city from prehistoric times to the emergence of the republic.
The Pimenta Palace was built in the 18th century by order of Don João V. It was one of many gifts to his most famous mistress, Mother Paula ( Paula Teresa da Silva e Almeida), a nun in the monastery of San Dinis in Odivelas.
The nun-favorite of the king, despite her church rank, did not hide her connection with the crowned person, and gave birth to several children from him. She and her entire family lived in luxury, and were showered with all sorts of benefits by the loving king, who was showered with “golden rain” from Brazil.
In the monastery, a tower “Torre da Madre Paula” was built especially for her, which, unfortunately, has not survived to this day. But in the library of the municipality of Lisbon they found an anonymous document describing the interiors of the tower. The word “gold”, in different word forms, appears several dozen times there. Just look at the cost of a silver bathtub, ordered in England, covered with gilding.
Besides her beauty, Mother Paula was arrogant, sharp-tongued, and possessed strong character, who helped her endure palace gossip and the condemnation of the nobles, due to neglect of her religious duties.
There is a known case when some noble ladies did not stand up when she approached, to which she dropped a phrase that spread like wildfire throughout the royal court: “He who goes to bed for money doesn’t get up for free”.
But let's return to the Pimenta Palace, which owes its name to the last private owners of this luxury property - the Pimenta family. This is a palace with a very harmonious facade, the interior of which is decorated with beautiful Azulejo tiles from the 18th century.
An excellent example of the architecture of country residences of that time. The palace has a boxwood garden and a small park with sculptures and a fountain. In the park, in the shade of trees, peacocks stroll leisurely.
In the boxwood garden you can see many ceramic sculptures by Bordalo Pinheiro. Scenes from fairy tales, cats, lizards, snakes, giant insects and monkeys look lifelike.
There is even a small fountain with “sea reptiles”.
The idea of creating a museum dedicated to Lisbon arose during the First Republic. The museum was originally opened in the Mithra Palace in 1942, but 37 years later the collection moved to the Pimenta Palace.
The City Museum preserves important collections that show the development of Lisbon. Being historical museum, his collection includes: paintings, drawings, engravings, cartographies, ceramics and tiles.
On the ground floor, you can see several objects that document the presence of ancient civilizations, important collections of artifacts from the Paleolithic and Neolithic; tombstones and Arabic pottery; some architectural elements Palace Alcáçova from the Castle of St. George and the oldest coat of arms of Lisbon.
There is a separate room with a model of Lisbon, showing what the city was like before the 1755 earthquake. The model shows now destroyed buildings and the old layout of the city. In addition to the model, interactive monitors are installed on which you can read the history of certain buildings and see their 3-dimensional reconstruction.
The extension's authentic 18th-century kitchen remains unchanged.
Pay attention to the azulejos.
The second floor is dedicated to the history of Lisbon from 1640 to 1910. Paintings and prints by artist Dirk Stoop show daily life period of the Restoration.
One of the halls is dedicated to the Lisbon Aqueduct, with detailed architectural construction plans, and engravings depicting the aqueduct immediately after construction.
Another room talks about the reconstruction of Lisbon after the earthquake. Models of statues, engravings and city plans. Some of the projects proposed at that time for the future Commerce Square are very interesting.
The exhibition ends with a poster painting about the revolution and the formation of the new Republic.
In the shady park there are two pavilions for temporary exhibitions: the white pavilion is for exhibitions of contemporary art related to the city, the black one is a multi-purpose space for historical and archaeological exhibitions.
The Pimenta Palace and especially the beautiful park with its garden are worth seeing. Here both children and adults will find something interesting for themselves. Those interested in history will be curious to get acquainted with the museum's exhibition, and children will be able to look at the friendly and not shy peacocks, literally at arm's length, and also play in the boxwood garden.
An integral part of any tourist trip to Portugal is the largest museums in Lisbon. A list of memorable places of the ancient capital, their descriptions, photos and reviews of excursions can be found on many Internet resources. The main thing is to have time to visit the most interesting of them.
Google Maps / google.ru
There really is something to see in the Portuguese capital. Here, ancient historical artifacts coexist with colorful, original and modern heritage. The long Muslim rule is intertwined with the ancient European traditions and history. Therefore, walks and excursions are always unexpected, bright and memorable.
National Museum, where hundreds of antique carriages are collected
While in the amazing Carriage Museum in Lisbon, the idea arises to jump on and ride in an unusual vehicle, in which European nobles, and maybe even kings, rode several centuries ago. Here is the world's most extensive collection of rare carriages and carts.
Many crews belong to the Portuguese royal family. The most striking exhibits on display at the Carriage Museum in the very center of Lisbon are:
- Postal stagecoach.
- Lando the Kingslayer.
- Crown carriage.
- Carriage of Philip II.
- Hunting carriage.
- Oculos Racing Sidecar.
- Table carriage.
- Coach of the Oceans.
- Royal carriage.
- Bride's carriage.
- Maria Francisco's carriage.
Visitors often pay attention to children's vehicles. Little princes and princesses rode in them in parks and gardens, driving harnessed goats or ponies. In addition to vehicles, the collection includes everything that is somehow connected with horse riding - riding uniforms, sabers, saddles, military ceremonial uniforms.
For lovers of the sound of waves and sea spaces
Admiration and delight are the main feelings evoked when visiting an amazing place in the capital of Portugal. This is the Lisbon Maritime Museum, which clearly demonstrates the nation's excellence in everything related to shipbuilding and shipping. It consists of several halls where:
- royal cabins;
- ship designs;
- shipping charts;
- naval paintings;
- sailors' clothing;
- navigation devices.
To a greater extent, the exhibition is dedicated to the era of geographical discoveries, when ships with the Portuguese plied the sea and ocean spaces and discovered new lands. Special attention deserves a ceremonial barge with gilded ornaments and relief sculptures.
cubby_t_bear / flickr.com
It was manned by 80 oarsmen and carried noble passengers and royalty. No less interesting is the cabin in which Queen Amelia traveled by sea. These are real luxurious apartments, a symbol of luxury and wealth of that time.
To all connoisseurs of beauty and antiquity
Thousands of beautiful jewelry, sculptures, ceramics and paintings, along with antique furniture, are presented by the National Museum of Ancient Art. This is a unique gallery where you can admire the paintings famous painters Europe and the whole world:
- Diego Velazquez.
- Hieronymus Bosch.
- Raphael.
- Albrecht Durer.
Paulo Valdivieso / flickr.com
The first floor of the building is devoted to paintings by European artists, the second floor presents Asian and African works of art, and the third floor contains paintings by Portuguese artistic masters. Surprise and delight arise at the sight of products made from the first gold brought from India by the famous navigator Vasco da Gama. This is the monstrance Belen and the cross of Alcobac.
Calouste Gulbenkian Museum
One of the most influential oil magnates and “man of the world” G. Gulbenkian, a native of Turkey of Armenian origin, collected an impressive collection of antiques and created his own private foundation, immersed in the lush greenery of a Lisbon park.
Pedro Ribeiro Simões / flickr.com
IN separate room Calouste Gulbenkian Museum displays manuscripts and publications ancient world, medieval books, as well as:
- Persian jewelry;
- Egyptian tombs;
- Greek vases;
- decorative items;
- ancient sculptures;
- the most valuable paintings;
- jewelry.
The second part of the Gulbenkian collection consists of objects from the Renaissance - French antique furniture, ivory figurines, paintings by artists, glass, metal, and precious alloys.
Portuguese musical style Fado
A separate gallery is dedicated to traditional music almost in the very center of the capital. Melodic national romances were performed with the help of Portuguese and classical guitars. Fado melodies and songs are imbued with light melancholy and sadness, telling listeners about love experiences, suffering and difficult fate.
At the Fado Museum you can learn a lot of interesting things about the national musical genre, admire the unique twelve-string guitar, and enjoy the live performance of nostalgic songs. Multimedia sections offer everyone the opportunity to listen to rare CDs of fado performers.
Museu da Agua – the amazing history of water supply
Housed in a 19th-century building in the Portuguese capital, the Water Museum is based on the first water pumping station. Many exhibits are still in use today. These are steam boilers, pumping units, engines, the operation of which every visitor can admire.
Pedro Ribeiro Simões / flickr.com
Guests of this amazing museum complex They will learn about the history of water supply to European cities and villages, from the times of the Roman Empire to our time.
Azulejo Museum
We can safely say that the whole of Portugal is a bright and colorful Azulejo Museum. Most parks, train stations, city buildings, church buildings, and building facades are decorated with glazed tiles. An exhibition in the capital is dedicated to this traditional craft. Part of the exhibition is an ancient chapel with an ancient carved ceiling vault and gold ornaments.
The first azulejo tiles imitated bright carpets with simple patterns. geometric shapes, natural ornaments, simple patterns. Then the craftsmen began to lay out unique religious panels. Other motifs include satire, battles, hunting scenes and mythology.
Cathedrals, palace ensembles, monasteries and churches of the state were decorated with various tile paintings. Exhibitions of modern masters of decorative facade finishing and lessons on original tile painting are often held here.
In the souvenir shop, visitors can purchase a small Azulejo panel or a themed postcard, and in a cozy cafe with a fountain and live turtles they can simply relax and taste national Portuguese dishes.
Video: Lisbon – how to visit museums for free?
There are more than 30 museums in the capital of Portugal, some of the classical type in historical buildings, others were opened quite recently and surprise with new architectural solutions. Tourists can visit Lisbon museums with discounts and free of charge certain days or on a tourist card. But no discounts either museum tickets in Portugal they are not expensive - from 2 to 10 euros. Next, we will get acquainted with information about the best museum exhibitions, their location and ticket prices.
We wrote about how to get from Lisbon airport to the city. Instructions for the Lisbon metro can be found. Read about where you can swim in Lisbon and the surrounding area.
The Azulejo Museum Collection (Museu Nacional do Azulejo) exists only in Portugal, so it’s worth getting to the Alfema area, wandering through 3 floors and getting to know the ceramic miracle. The 16th-century Baroque-style Monastery of Our Lady of Our Lady houses a collection of hand-painted tiles from the 15th century to the present day. The huge panel depicts Lisbon as it was before the earthquake in 1755. Part of the exhibition is dedicated to the production of tiles. It’s a pity that there are no Russian-language excursions or audio guides.
Address: Rua da Madre de Deus, 4.
Schedule: from 10.00 to 18.00, closed on Monday.
Ticket price: 5€.
How to get there: Bus stop 210, 718, 742, 759, 794 Igreja Madre Deus next to the museum; Art. Santa Apolónia metro station, then walk along the rails for 20 minutes.
Another place where examples of azulejos are displayed in a natural arrangement on the walls is the Carriage Museum in Lisbon. There are now very few carriages left in the arena building, but you can admire the tiles. Those who want to see the main collection of carriages should go to the new building opposite the old one (tickets vary). There are presented landaulets, carriages, cabriolets, palanquins and even cabs - the most beautiful models from different centuries. The grandiose collection is considered the best in the world, and the pleasure of viewing and taking photos costs only 6 euros.
It is convenient to combine a visit with a tour of the Jeronimos Monastery, located nearby. In the morning, while most tourists rush to ticket office monastery, there are very few visitors in the “carriage kingdom”.
Address: Avenida da India, 136.
How to get there: buses 28, 714, 727, 729; tram 15; train to Belém station;
Ticket V new museum costs 8€; to an old building - 4 €; (museum + old building) - 10€
The history of great navigators in the Maritime Museum
The Maritime Museum is also located in Belem, directly in the Jeronimos Monastery. Everything here is dedicated to the sea voyages of the Portuguese, their geographical discoveries. Small copies of ships, a seaplane of the early twentieth century, vintage maps, barges preserved from the 18th century - more than 17 thousand exhibits.
Address: Praça do Império
Schedule: from 10.00-17.00 in winter, from 10.00-18.00 in summer, closed on Monday.
Website: museu.marinha.pt
Lisbon Water Museum
Museu da Água Wikipedia is considered the best museum in the world dedicated to the water supply system. In Lisbon, the pumping station, reservoirs, and aqueducts have been preserved for two centuries. You can see real steam engines. The huge water reservoir with a capacity of 5500 cubic meters is impressive.
National Museum of Ancient Art
Most big museum The city will appeal to lovers of classical painting – Raphael’s paintings stand side by side with sculptures by medieval masters. The works of the great Dutchman Hieronymus Bosch are presented.
Address: Rua das Janelas Verdes, 1249-017, Accessible by buses 713, 714, 727 or tram 15E; Schedule: Tuesday - 14.00 - 18.00; Wednesday-Sunday - 10.00 - 18.00; Closed on Monday. Price regular ticket 6€; There are benefits for children, pensioners, and students.
Calouste Gulbenkian Museum
Oil millionaire and collector Calouste Gulbenkian collected a variety of huge collection worthy of large state museums.
Treasures can be seen here ancient egypt, paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Renoir, objects of Islamic, Greek, European art, jewelry from different eras.
Address: Avenida de Berna, 45 a.; Entrance to the building from Eduarda Park, Art. Praca de Espanha metro station
Schedule: Tue-Sun from 10.00 to 18.00. Ticket price 5 euros
Where to go for lovers of contemporary art
The Beleni Cultural Center houses an exhibition hall for contemporary art. Four galleries host screenings, festivals, and film premieres. The complex has excellent free wi-fi.
In the same building is the Coleccão Berardo Museum of Contemporary and New Art. Joe Berardo collected more than 1,000 works by Dali, Bacon, Malevich, Duchamp and dozens of other 20th-century artists and donated them to the city. Particularly famous exhibits are “Woman in a Chair” by Picasso “Portrait of Judy Garland” by Warhol.
Fado Museum (Museu do Fado)
A stylish museum in the center of the old Alfema district helps you understand the Portuguese love for Fado and get into the atmosphere of the dance. Improvisations on the theme of fado bars, Portuguese guitar music, bright photos and paintings - everything here is dedicated to dance.
In the fall of 2017, the Museu de Arte, Arquitetura e Tecnologia, or MAAT for short, opened in Belem, in a building of unusual design that merges with the Tagus River. It replaced the old Electricity Museum and is focused on science, new technologies, contemporary art. Address: Fundação EDP, Av. Brasília, Central Tejo, Belém; Get there by buses 728, 714, 727, 729, 751. by tram number 15 or train line Cascais - Belém station; Schedule: from 12.00, closed on Tuesday.
New museum complex
Free museums in Lisbon
The Money Museum recently opened in the Praça do Município area. Here you can evaluate what a gold bar worth half a million euros looks like, look at coins from different countries, and find out how banking developed.
Website: www.museudodinheiro.pt
Every visitor will be able to enter the Maritime Museum, MAAT, free of charge on the 1st Sunday of the month. On Friday from 18 to 22 o'clock - the Oriental Museum, on Saturdays - to the Berardu Museum, on Sunday morning - the Puppet Museum. It’s better to check on museum websites.
Entrance to museums with the Lisboa Card
The Lisboa Tourist Card gives you free entry or discounts to 93 places, plus free use of transport. The list includes 26 museums with free entry. You can read more here. The card is valid from the moment of first use. Whether or not the card will pay off depends on how many museums you intend to visit in a day.