Centro Internacional das Artes José de Guimarães

About the museum

The Centro Internacional das Artes José de Guimarães (CIAJG) opened on 24 June 2012 as part of Guimarães 2012 – European Capital of Culture. It is part of the Plataforma das Artes e da Criatividade (Arts and Creativity Platform), a project that turned the former Mercado de Guimarães into a multifunctional space. The building, by the Pitágoras Arquitetos studio, has received several international awards, including the Detail Prize 2012 and the Red Dot Design Award 2013.

The CIAJG is dedicated to contemporary art and its relationship with art from other eras, cultures and disciplines. The collection brings together works by the artist José de Guimarães and three collections he built up over decades: African art, pre-Columbian art and ancient Chinese art. In total there are 1128 objects, including ceramics, sculpture, drawing, installation, textiles, painting and graphic arts. The pieces were acquired between the 1980s and 2000s and are on loan (comodato) to the centre.

The thirteen exhibition spaces are spread over three floors and combine historical pieces with works by contemporary artists, such as an atlas that brings objects, images and ideas from distant places together. The centre also has a bookshop, a black box, a conference room and an underground car park.

Highlights

• Collection of African, pre-Columbian and ancient Chinese art by José de Guimarães
• Works by José de Guimarães himself, covering sixty years of his career
• Thirteen exhibition rooms across three floors
• Award-winning building in the former Mercado de Guimarães
• Permanent exhibition of traditional African masks

Permanent exhibition

• Máscaras tradicionais africanas na Coleção de José de Guimarães – Permanent exhibition of traditional African masks from the collection of the artist José de Guimarães.

Founded

2012

Operated by

A Oficina

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Sunday mornings, 11:00 to 14:00

Standard ticket €4, reduced ticket €3. Holders of the Cartão Quadrilátero Cultural receive 50% off.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The centre is listed as accessible to people with reduced mobility. The underground car park has spaces reserved for people with reduced mobility.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Bookshop with CIAJG publications, other publications from A Oficina, merchandise, and contemporary and handmade items from Guimarães.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Corporate events

Up to 198 guests.

Hire of the black box (198 seats) and the conference room (80 seats) for performances, conferences, congresses and training sessions; discounts for non-profit organisations.

Plan your visit