Top 4 Free Museums in Lisbon

Top 4 Free Museums in Lisbon

Usually, when you visit another country, you like to know a bit more about the culture, the habits but you also like to find some good museums to gain some of that culture. The museums you choose can be about the country you’re visiting, touching more on the history side or on the technological side of it.

In Lisbon, many of the museums on Sundays and holidays become free to all the Portuguese citizens. So, what can you do if you’re foreign? Fortunately, there are a few museums which are free to visit.

Here is the list of free museums in Lisbon…

1. Money Museum – Museu do Dinheiro

Money Museum in Lisbon was developed by the Providência Design studio with the help of Banco de Portugal team. Some themes covered at the museum are money in the world and its history over the centuries. The manufacturers of banknotes and coins and personal testimonies about the role of money in the citizen’s life are also covered at the museum.

The Money Museum gives an interactive experience that uses multimedia technology to showcase its collection, and offers a highly educational visit.

The museum is located near Terreiro do Paço, so it is well placed in the city centre. In this area you can go to Arco da Rua Augusta, the many shops at the avenue and have a coffee at one of the many patisseries that surround the square. Loja das conservas is really close to the museum, so take a look at the cans of various fishes, like tuna and sardines!

Museu do dinheiro – by Joseolgon – by Wikimedia commons

Address: Antiga Igreja de S. Julião, Largo de S. Julião, 1100-150 Lisboa

Metro station: Baixa-Chiado

Open all days 10h00 – 18h00

Website

2. Museu Coleção Berardo

Museu Coleção Berardo is a classic. It is a great museum which includes pieces from some of the biggest in contemporary art, including Warhol, Picasso, Dali, Duchamp, Magritte, Miró, Jackson Pollock, and Jeff Koons.

Not only is it free, but it is also in an awesome location. This is usually the meeting point in Belém. Guided visits cost only €5, and there are always new exhibitions, so take a look at their website to know what you can expect when you visit this museum.

Museu Coleção Berardo is inside the CCB (Centro Cultural de Belém – Belém Cultural Center). Here you can find a restaurant called Este Oeste which has Italian and Japanese cuisines. What do you like the most? Pizza or sushi?

There are also the huge Belém gardens where you can walk and rest under the trees for some time. Don’t forget to visit the Belém tower and take a walk alongside the Tagus river.

Museu Coleção Berardo – by Georg Pirrung – by Wikimedia commons

Address: Praça do Império, 1449-003 Lisboa

Open all days 10h – 19h

Train station: Belém (take a train at Cais do Sodré station)

Website

3. Núcleo Arqueológico

The old roman ruins which make part of this museum were discovered in a parking lot excavation. Here we can observe overlapping structures of historical periods from the Punic to the Medieval and the Pombaline. A collection of various eras arranged to show the various phases of occupation of the downtown area are also shown.

There are guided visits which are 45 minutes long. Pay attention to what the speaker has to say because the history of Lisbon can be quite interesting!

Just like Museu do Dinheiro, these ruins are located in the Baixa area where you can find various shops and coffee shops.

Rua dos Correeiros – by Pug Girl – by Wikimedia commons

Address: Rua dos Correeiros, nº 21, 1100-161 Lisboa

Visits in Portuguese: Thursdays from 3 PM to 4 PM and Saturdays at 10 AM, 1 PM, 3 PM AND 5 PM.

Visits in English: Thursdays at 5 PM and Saturdays at 12 AM and 5 PM.

Metro station: Baixa-Chiado

4. MUDE – Museu do Design e da Moda

The fashion and design museum brings visitors fashion to life. This is a must-see for anyone in the arts or fashion industries!

At MUDE, you’ll find fabrics and designs that date back centuries with vivid colour schemes and traditional Portuguese patterns. It also shows the change in the Portuguese fashion over time.

It’s transversal and has many generations represented on the pieces. The museum addresses all kind of people, with areas of exhibition, creation, socializing, education and debate. A visit to MUDE encourages more informed, conscious and creative people.

MUDE is located in the principal avenue of Baixa area which is Rua Augusta. This avenue hosts some of the most well-known shops and has many restaurants serving classical Portuguese dishes. Also, on the avenues nearby there are original little stores which you can visit once they have some national products to take home as souvenirs.

Arco da Rua Augusta – by Diego Delso – by Wikimedia commons

Address: Rua AUGUSTA Nº24 – 1100-053 LISBOA

Website