Chiado’s museums: From archeology to contemporary

Chiado is one of the most exciting areas in Lisbon. You just need a small walk around to get a feeling that every day there is something new or invigorating happening. Old 19th century buildings are being revived with apartments and modern shops on the ground floor. There is a harmony between the innovative design of shops, restaurants and boutiques inside historic buildings. There is a growing beauty and character of Chiado. With aesthetics and style in mind, this is is also one of the most interesting cultural centres. Apart from its multiple galleries, Chiado has a few museums where, since the moment you step in, it’s a learning experience.

In this part of the city, you will find the beautiful archeological museum inside the ruins of the old Carmo Convent, the most recent XXIst Century design museum, and the Contemporary Art museum that presents a wide and extremely representative collection of Portuguese modern art. Engage in the stirring movement of Chiado.

Here is a list of the most interesting museums:


Museu do Chiado (Chiado Museum)

Avant-garde, surreal, contemporary art, in all forms of media: painting, sculpture, photography, design, video and installations. This museum has the leading collection of Contemporary Portuguese art. It preserves, documents and unfolds some of the most important national works of the Nineteenth century and of the Modernist period. The permanent exhibition is renewed with a certain frequency. Starting with the emergence of Romanticisim in the mid-19th Century, to the works of Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso that mark the transition into the 20th Century, and including some of the art of Júlio Pomar and Julião Sarmento; it is in the Chiado Musuem you will find all the best references of Portuguese Contemporary Art.

MUDE - Museu do Design e da Moda (Design and Fashion museum)

Its official opening is set for the end of 2010. But until then, MUDE will have temporary exhibitions. It has already exhibited some pieces of two of the most famous Portuguese fashion designers, Manuel Alves and José Manuel Gonçalves. It will continue to organise exhibitions that demonstrate the permanent change and innovation that the arts of design and fashion go through in the XXIst Century.

Museu Arqueológico do Carmo (Carmo Archeological Museum)

This museum is inside one of the most emblematic Churches of the capital. The Carmo Convent was brought down to ruin due to the 1755 earthquake that shook Lisbon. The ruins of this Gothic Church are in the Carmo square, famous for having been where Marcelo Caetano hid during the Carnation Revolution. Considering the beauty and the importance of this monument, there is no better home in Lisbon for the showing of archeological records. It was founded in 1857 and it holds a rich Prehistoric, Roman, Visigoth and Medieval archeological collection.

Would you like to stay in the area?

The CS Vintage Lisboa hotel and the Chiado Hotel are extremely central. These stylish and exclusive design hotels have very comfortable rooms and you are guaranteed to be received here with the best service.

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