Lisbon is by all means a cosmopolitan city with rich cultural life and many national museums and art galleries.
Gulbenkian Museum Situated in beautiful grounds, this became the new home for the art collection of Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkain in 1969. He was an art connoisseur and became wealthy through his petroleum business. The 6000 piece collection is split into two sections. One part is Egyptian, Roman, Greek, Asian and Islamic art. The other part is European art which includes the works by famous artists, such as Rembrandt, Monet, Degas and Van Dyck. In addition to paintings, there are sculptures, furniture, coins, and jewels from all over the world.
Museu de Marinha (Maritime Museum or Navy Museum) Located in Belem, this museum is housed in the north and west wings of the Jerónimos Monastery. Although the name translates to Navy Museum, it does contain exhibits for commercial vessels. Founding in 1863 by King Lufs, it was originally located at the Naval School in Lisbon. From 1948 to 1962, the museum was housed in the palace of the Count of Farrobo and then moved to Belem. Since then, a new pavillion has been added for large exhibits. The entire collection at the museum is over 47,000 items with more than half being photographs. The permanent display contains approximately 2,5000 items which include ships from the 15th century to the present day. This is a museum that you shouldn't miss!
Museu Militar (Military Museum) Founded in 1851, this was a former 17th century weapons factory. The building is rich with tiles and paintings depicting battle scenes. The exhibits start at prehistorical times and through the Napoleonic invasions and end at the 20th century. There is everything from small ornate weapons to large cannons.
Museum of Electricity (Central Tejo Industrial Museum) Also known as the Tagus Power Plant, it supplied Lisbon with coal-generated power for many years. Construction started in 1914 and continued for five years. When the plant was closed down, it was turned into the Museum of Electricity. The European-style building reflects the architecture at the turn of the century. The red brick face and the tall glass windows are enhanced by ornate cornices and rounded arches. Inside you will see the restored generators and other exhibits.
The Municipal Museum (Counts of Castro Guimarães Museum) Housed in the Counts of Castro Guimarães Palace, it was was donated as a museum in 1924. The architecture of the palace is worth seeing along with the exhibits. You will find artwork by local and international artists. There is also antique furnishings and prehistoric articles. The library has over 25,000 books with some dating back to the 17th century. One rare exhibit is the manuscript of the Chronicle of King Afonso Henriques which was written in the 16th century. The park which is next door has a mini-zoo and interesting tiles to study.
Museu do Ar (Air Museum) It was opened in July 1971 with indoor and outdoor displays. Some of the planes are authentic and others are replicas. There are exhibits of engines, parts, plane kits and other memorablia related to aviation. One of the outstanding displays is the world history of flying. You can go out to the hangar where they have planes suspended from the ceiling. Truly a great place for aviation enthusiasts!
Sao Bento Palace (Parliament Building) In addition to housing the Portuguese government, the palace is a museum for Portuguese artwork from the 19th century to today. The marble columns, the presence of many statues and grand staircases creates an atmosphere of elegance. You will also find the Museum of the Assembleia very rich in political history.
The Museu Nacional dos Coches (Historic Coaches Museum) This is Lisbon's most visited museum and has the world's best collection of royal coaches and other horse-drawn vehicles. Queen Amelia created the museum and opened it in 1905 as the Museu dos Coches Reais (Museum of Royal Coaches). The name of the museum changed in 1910 during the Revolution. The collection started out with the vehicles from the royal household and the Patriarch of Lisbon. Other highlights of the collection are 16th and 18th century coaches belonging to other royal families and a Pope. Other exhibits include less ornate carriages and other items of transportation. This musuem is a must-see.
Museu de Arte Antiga (Ancient Art Museum) The country's greatest collection of paintings is housed here. You can see how Portuguese art developed from the 15th through the 19th century. There are two buildings, one is a 17th century palace and the other is an annex built on the site once occupied by the old Carmelite Convent of Santo Alberto. The convent's chapel was preserved and you can admire the carved wood, tiles, and sculptures from the 17th and 18th centuries. Besides paintings, there is an international collection of gold and silver artifacts, tapestries, sculptures, and ceramics.
Carris Museum Only opened in January 1999, this is a nice addition to the many museums you will find in the area. Carris is the company who operates the transit system in Lisbon. All the trams have been restored and you can see antique trams, electric trams, single and double-decker buses. An antique tram operates between the two museum buildings so visitors can experience the short ride back in time. In Building #1, you can see exhibits of tram tickets, photographs (even some of accidents), uniforms, models, maps and other interesting items. Building #2 is the shed where the trams and buses are displayed. The museum is just starting out but they plan to expand in the upcoming years. Picture taking is more than welcome.
