Geological Museum

Category: Civil Architecture > Museum

District: Lisboa > Lisboa > Lisboa > Mercês

Location:

The Geological Museum is located in the heart of Lisbon, in the area known as Mercês. It is housed in a historic building that once belonged to the Convent of Nossa Senhora de Jesus. It is situated on Rua da Academia das Ciências (Academy of Sciences Street), sharing the space with the Lisbon Academy of Sciences.

Its central location in the city makes it accessible for those exploring the capital's historic center.

A 19th-Century Museum Treasure

Stepping into this museum is like stepping back in time. The space preserves much of its original layout and the way exhibitions were set up in the 19th century. The period furniture and the arrangement of the collections reflect a style of museology that is rare in Europe today.

For this reason, the Geological Museum is considered by specialists to be a true "museum of museums," a remarkable example of 19th-century museography. Its historical and museological value has been recognized, having been classified as a Property of Public Interest.

Relics of Earth and Ancient Life

The museum houses vast collections of great scientific value, built up over decades of research. Here, it is possible to discover a remarkable collection in the areas of paleontology, mineralogy, and archaeology.

The display cases exhibit fossils that tell the story of life in Portugal over millions of years, including remains of dinosaurs, large mammals that inhabited the territory, and small creatures that reveal details of ancient life. The mineral collection showcases the country's geological richness, and the prehistoric archaeology section presents tools and bone remains that testify to human presence in remote epochs, such as those found in the shell middens of Muge.

The Cradle of Portuguese Geology and Archaeology

This place holds special significance in the history of science in Portugal. It was here, in the former Convent of Jesus, that the Geological Commission of the Kingdom was established in the mid-19th century, marking the beginning of organized geology in the country. The collections seen today began to be assembled by the pioneers of this field.

Thus, the Geological Museum is not merely an exhibition space, but also the point where the studies of geology and archaeology in Portugal formally began, preserving the scientific legacy of the researchers who unveiled the remote past of the national territory.

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