Museums and Palaces

Located in Lisbon's waterfront district, overlooking the Tagus, the building that houses the museum is an interesting monument. At the main entrance there is a monumental portico designed by the French architect Ferdinand de Larre, which survived the earthquake of 1755. The apartments were restored at the end of the 18th century and embellished with paintings and statues by Portuguese artists. On the eastern façade, an imposing fronton over the portico has a group sculpture by Teixeira Lopes.

Founded officially in 1851 and called the Artillery Museum, new decorations have been added to the rooms, with contributions by major Portuguese artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, such as Columbano, Malhoa, Carlos Reis and Veloso Salgado, making the visit doubly interesting.

The tour was designed to be a learning experience, since through the military items on display, including a sword belonging to King D. João I (1385-1433), and the decorative paintings, the visitor learns about some of the great themes of Portuguese history, such as the discovery of the sea route to India, the Portuguese participation in the First World War and the pacification campaigns conducted by Mouzinho de Albuquerque in Mozambique in the last quarter of the 19th century.

In the Pátio dos Canhões (Cannon Yard), you can look at a valuable collection of artillery pieces while you relax in the cafeteria.