Museu de História Natural de Sintra
Municipal museum in the historic centre of Sintra with more than 10,000 fossils, minerals, shells and rocks, including trilobites, dinosaurs and meteorites.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Museu de História Natural de Sintra occupies an 1893 building on Rua do Paço, in the historic centre of the old town. It opened on 1 August 2009 and grew out of the donation to the municipality of the collections gathered over decades by the collector Miguel Barbosa and his wife, Fernanda Barbosa.
The collection includes more than 10,000 fossils from all continents, an important collection of trilobites and some rare, well-preserved dinosaurs. It also holds mineralogy, malacology (bivalves and gastropods) and petrography collections, where meteorites stand out, including the Nantan meteorite from China. The museum houses the holotype of the pterosaur Barbosannia gracillirostris, studied in Karlsruhe, Germany, as part of a partnership between the Câmara de Sintra and the German museum.
The permanent exhibition tells the story of life on Earth from the formation of the planet, through the geological eras, from the Precambrian to the Quaternary. The museum also has a temporary exhibition room, a storage area and laboratory, a documentation service, a shop and an educational service.
Highlights
- More than 10,000 fossils from all continents
- Collection of trilobites and dinosaurs
- Holotype of the pterosaur Barbosannia gracillirostris
- Minerals, shells and rocks, including meteorites such as Nantan
- 1893 building in the historic centre of Sintra
- Free admission
Permanent exhibition
- Exposição permanente – A journey through the geological eras, from the Precambrian to the Quaternary, with fossils, minerals, shells and rocks from the municipal collections.
- Founded
- 2009
- Operated by
- Câmara Municipal de Sintra
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Free admission. No booking required.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- 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 museum indicates access for people with disabilities and presents itself as an accessible and inclusive cultural space.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
- Museum shop
Shop and ticket office in the museum.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided visits by prior booking. The educational service starts from the permanent exhibition to tell the story of the Earth. |
