10 Best Museums and Art Galleries in Lisbon

The Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT) is a popular cultural centre where you'll find an innovative project that showcases exhibitions as well as discussions. The exhibitions here show off not only contemporary artists but also the work of architects and visionary thinkers.

When you visit, you'll find a multitude of things to see, and that selection is constantly changing. On subsequent visits to Lisbon, you could come back to this museum and enjoy an entirely different experience. Check it out by the riverbank in Santa Maria de Belem.

The Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga is effectively the national museum of Portugal and is home to an immense collection of items dating back thousands of years. This museum houses more than 40,000 items in all sorts of forms, including paintings, sculptures, furniture, ceramics and textiles, among others.

The collection here has works from places all over the world, including Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. Some of the more notable pieces here were created by legends like Hieronymus Bosch, Domingos Sequeira and Hans Holbein the Elder. It's located along the riverbank west of Chiado.

Casa-Museu Dr. Anastácio Gonçalves is an art nouveau museum in both its collection and the design of the building itself. The structure was originally an art nouveau-style residential home and was later converted into a museum.

In the museum, you'll find an array of artwork hailing mostly from 19th-century Portugal. The collection showcases some of the most influential art nouveau works that defined the style. See it all yourself in the Avenidas Novas area of Lisbon, which is a short distance north of the town centre.

Museu Coleção Berardo is a modern and contemporary art museum that showcases some of the best artists from the present day back through the 20th century. The artists on display here are notably diverse, letting you see a variety of cultural backgrounds.

When visiting this museum, you'll find quite a few artists that you'll probably recognise, such as Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali and Francis Bacon. They're often grouped with other works from the art movements that the big-name artists helped define. It's all located on the south side of Restelo, well west of the town centre.

Museu do Fado is a museum featuring numerous artefacts and performers dedicated to the history of Fado music, which is the iconic music tradition of Portugal. You'll be able to learn about the history of the practice along with the artists who helped define it.

Numerous artefacts from history are on display, including outfits and guitars from famous artists. Additionally, you'll be able to enjoy live Fado performances here to get a taste of the traditional Fado experience. Try it all out for yourself in Alfama, southeast of the town centre.

Museu Aljube Resistência e Liberdade is a museum dedicated to the victims and all who suffered under the dictatorship of António de Oliveira Salazar and the reign of fascism. In the museum, you'll find an extensive collection of photos, documents, artefacts and even newsreels from this dark period.

While this museum does a lot to highlight the atrocities of fascist rule, it also showcases the history of the Carnation Revolution, which overthrew the dictatorship. You can see it all for yourself in southwestern Alfama.

Museu Calouste Gulbenkian is home to an immense collection of international art that was once all owned by a single oil magnate. The artwork on display here covers a wide variety of periods with some dating back to antiquity, including Greco-Roman works and art from ancient Egypt and Persia.

When visiting this museum, you'll find the works organised chronologically, so it's easy to see art trends develop over time as you travel through. Additionally, you'll find that the building is a work of art on its own, having been specifically designed as an art museum rather than repurposed. It's all available in eastern Azul, northwest of the town centre.

Museu Nacional do Azulejo is a tile museum that shows off one of the more unique artistic expressions of Portuguese culture with centuries of works on display. When you visit, you'll find a comprehensive view of the history of tile art dating from the 15th century to present-day works.

This museum is housed within a building that's known for its impressive tile work as well, as it was once the Madre de Deus Convent, originally founded in 1509. Most of the building has a Baroque design, however, with plenty of splendour and gilded designs. It's all located east of the town centre on the south side of Xabregas.

The National Coach Museum is a museum that shows off vehicles from centuries past that defined travel before the advent of the automobile. Specifically, the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries are the highlights, with coaches, wagons, and carriages on display.

The vehicles you'll find here tend to be quite diverse, with some being downright gaudy. A rich and extravagant style was common among upper-class coaches, and you can see all their splendour on display. It's available by the riverbank in Santa Maria de Belem, a few miles west of the town centre.

Berardo Museu Art Deco is one of the most comprehensive collections of art deco works in the world and houses defining pieces of the movement. The collection here consists of more than 300 different pieces, including paintings, sculptures, crystals, furniture and ceramics.

Most of the works here date back to the late 19th century and early 20th century when art deco was at its peak. Some art nouveau pieces are on display, but the museum's second floor is entirely art deco. See it all for yourself about a mile or so west of the town centre by the A2.