Museu Condes de Castro Guimarães
Municipal museum in a revivalist summer palace of 1897, in the Parque Marechal Carmona, with collections of painting, goldsmith's work, furniture and a historic library.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
At the Santa Marta cove in Cascais stands an example of revivalist and eclectic summer architecture, known as the Torre de São Sebastião. The palace was commissioned in 1897 by Jorge O’Neill, of Irish descent, to a design by the painter and architect Francisco Vilaça; one of the rooms has a ceiling decorated with shamrocks, a symbol associated with Ireland.
In 1910 the building was bought by the Counts of Castro Guimarães, who later bequeathed the palace and garden so that Cascais's first museum and library could be established there. Manuel de Castro Guimarães, a collector and music lover, installed in 1912 an organ of 1170 pipes in what is now the Music Room, and had the ceiling decorated with the family's coats of arms. The counts are buried at the edge of the former garden, now part of the Parque Marechal Carmona. In 1932, Fernando Pessoa applied for the post of curator of the museum, but was not admitted.
The museum presents collections of painting, sculpture, goldsmith's work, furniture and porcelain, from China, India, Brazil and Europe, distributed along the visit route according to the function and daily life of the palace. Among the small collections are Egyptian scarabs, antique clocks, fans and Russian icons. The library's greatest treasure is the Crónica do Rei D. Afonso Henriques, by Duarte Galvão, from the 16th century. One of the attractions is the climb to the turret, with a 360° view over Cascais, when the weather allows.
Highlights
- Revivalist palace of 1897 (Torre de São Sebastião)
- Collections of painting, sculpture, goldsmith's work, furniture and porcelain
- Music Room with an organ of 1170 pipes
- Library with the Crónica do Rei D. Afonso Henriques
- Turret with panoramic view over Cascais
- Operated by
- Câmara Municipal de Cascais
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Admission to the museum is free.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
There are game tours for families, such as “O que se esconde na mala do Conde?”, and puppet theatre.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The museum offers guided tours, family game tours, staged tours and tours in foreign languages, as well as a virtual tour. Climbing to the turret depends on weather conditions. |
