Medeiros e Almeida Foundation House-Museum

Category: Civil Architecture > Museum

District: Lisboa > Lisboa > Lisboa > Santo António

Location:

The Medeiros e Almeida Foundation House-Museum is located in the Santo António area, a central and well-established neighborhood in Lisbon. Situated on a characteristic street of this urban zone, it is part of one of the most established areas of the Portuguese capital, accessible to those traversing the city center.

Legacy of a Collector

This House-Museum originated from the will of António de Medeiros e Almeida, a notable figure in the business world and one of the most important private art collectors in Portugal. In 1943, he acquired the mansion where he would reside for three decades and where he assembled the vast collection that can be visited today. His intention to share this heritage led him to create, in 1972, the foundation bearing his name, with the purpose of preserving and opening his house and collection to the public.

A Treasure of Decorative Arts

The great appeal of the House-Museum lies in the extraordinary collection assembled over decades. The collection comprises approximately two thousand pieces, covering various areas of decorative art and history. Here you can find everything from delicate Chinese porcelains and terracottas to furniture pieces from the 15th and 16th centuries.

There are objects of great uniqueness and historical value, such as the Royal Arms of D. Manuel I, a tea set that once belonged to the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, or the fascinating Jade Chime Stones, used during the reign of Emperor Kangxi, in the Qing dynasty. The collection also includes a variety of sculptures, clocks, glass, paintings, and metal objects and jewelry from different eras and origins.

Atmosphere of a Historic Residence

Visiting the House-Museum offers insight into the atmosphere of a great collector's residence and how such pieces might have been integrated into a living space. The artworks are arranged throughout the different rooms of the house, just as they would have been during the collector's lifetime, providing a more intimate perspective on the collection and the lifestyle of the era.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt