Museu da Água

About the museum

The Museu da Água brings together the heritage of the former Companhia das Águas de Lisboa, today EPAL. The first attempt to turn the company's holdings into a museum dates from 1919, when a division responsible for design, archives, library and museum was created. In the late 1930s the first inventory was started and, in 1950, the building of the Barbadinhos Steam Pumping Station was remodelled and the first steps were taken towards a museum space.

In 1987 a permanent exhibition on the evolution of Lisbon's water supply, from the Roman presence to the present day, was installed. In 1990 the museum received the Council of Europe Prize, being the only Portuguese museum to have received that distinction. The exhibition remained until December 2013, when works began to refurbish the Barbadinhos building, focusing on accessibility and the musealisation of industrial heritage.

The museum is organised into several sites open to visitors: the Barbadinhos Steam Pumping Station, headquarters and permanent exhibition; the Águas Livres Aqueduct; the Mãe d’Água das Amoreiras Reservoir; and the Patriarcal Reservoir. By prior booking, guided visits are also available to sections of the aqueduct and to the Loreto Underground Gallery.

Highlights

• Barbadinhos Steam Pumping Station, headquarters and permanent exhibition
• Águas Livres Aqueduct
• Mãe d’Água das Amoreiras Reservoir
• Patriarcal Reservoir
• Guided visits to the Loreto Underground Gallery

Permanent exhibition

• Exposição permanente na Estação Elevatória a Vapor dos Barbadinhos – Exhibition on the history of Lisbon's water supply, in an industrial heritage building with steam machinery.

Founded

1967

Operated by

EPAL – Empresa Portuguesa das Águas Livres, S.A.

Admission & discounts

Free admission: First Sunday of each month; 22 March (World Water Day), 18 April (Day of Monuments and Sites), 18 May (International Museum Day), 1 June, 5 June (World Environment Day) and 1 October (National Water Day).

Self-guided visit: €4 at each of the sites Barbadinhos Steam Pumping Station, Águas Livres Aqueduct and Mãe d’Água das Amoreiras Reservoir; €2 at the Patriarcal Reservoir. Free admission to the self-guided visit also for members of ICOM and APOM, journalists and teachers on duty, and employees of Águas de Portugal.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Kids’ birthday parties

The museum has an education service, workshops and birthday parties.

Getting there & parking

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