Museum Guides

Located in the historic center of Braga, the Biscainhos Museum was built in the 17th century and altered in the following century. The former residence of the Counts of Bertiandos, it’s a baroque palace, with large rooms and exquisite finishes! In 1978, the Biscainhos Palace was converted into a museum of decorative arts, seeking to recreate the daily life of the Portuguese nobility between the 17th and 19th centuries. Its collections include furniture, ceramics, paintings, and much more!

The Municipal Museum of Penafiel was inaugurated in 2009 in the Pereira do Lago Palace. And in 2010, it was distinguished with the Best Portuguese Museum Award and nominated for the European Museum of the Year Award! The collection of the Municipal Museum of Penafiel is divided into five permanent exhibition rooms, dedicated to the history and culture of Penafiel – Identity Room, Territory Room, Archaeology Room, Crafts Room, and Earth & Water Room – with an extra room for temporary exhibitions!

The Machado de Castro National Museum is one of the largest and most important fine arts museums in Portugal. Installed in the building of the former Bishop’s Palace of Coimbra, the museum is part of the area listed as World Heritage in 2013! The Machado de Castro National Museum’s collection includes notable examples of sculpture, painting, and decorative arts. In fact, the museum was named after Joaquim Machado de Castro, one of the most prominent Portuguese sculptors of the 18th century!

The Lisbon National Museum of Archaeology is the largest and most important archaeology museum in Portugal. Situated in the city of Lisbon, it’s the perfect place to visit on a Belém itinerary! The collection of the Lisbon National Museum of Archaeology has thousands of archaeological artifacts and historical pieces of the most diverse types. Among them, Egyptian antiquities, Roman mosaics, and granite statues stand out, as well as examples of archaic jewelry and Latin epigraphy!

The Stock Exchange Palace (in Portuguese, Palácio da Bolsa) is one of the most famous monuments in the city of Porto, receiving the visit of hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. In addition, as it’s located in the historic center of Porto, it has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1996! Intended to serve as the headquarters of the Commercial Association of Porto, the Stock Exchange Palace began to be built in 1842, on the site of the former Convent of Saint Francis!

The National Railway Museum is one of the most fascinating museums in Portugal. Located in Entroncamento, it’s the perfect place to visit on a day trip from Lisbon – especially if you travel by train! The collection of the National Railway Museum is made up of around 36,000 objects, including locomotives, carriages, and wagons since the times of the steam engine. In addition, it has two masterpieces of rail transportation in Portugal on display: the Royal Train and the Presidential Train!