Museu de Marinha

About the museum

The Museu de Marinha was created by decree of 22 July 1863, on the initiative of King D. Luís, who had been a naval officer before ascending the throne. The initial collection included the ship models from the Ajuda Palace and pieces from the Naval School, beside which the museum was installed. A fire in the Sala do Risco in 1916 destroyed much of the collection.

In 1936, when the Naval School moved to Alfeite, the museum separated from it. In 1948 it received the donation of the collection of Henrique Maufroy de Seixas, who had assembled over more than thirty years a veritable naval museum in his home, with models and some 20,000 photographic plates. In April 1949 the museum opened to the public in the Palácio do Conde de Farrobo, in Laranjeiras, and on 15 August 1962 its new premises in the Jerónimos Monastery, in Belém, were inaugurated, where it remains.

Being a museum “de” Marinha (of the Navy) and not merely “da” Marinha, it shows the various aspects of the relationship with the sea: military, trade, fishing and leisure. The museum narrative begins essentially in the Age of Discoveries and brings together ship models and royal vessels, paintings and engravings, decorations and weapons, sea charts and navigation instruments, photographs and documents. The permanent exhibition occupies the north and west wings and the Pavilhão das Galeotas (Galley Pavilion).

Highlights

• Models of ships and royal vessels
• Pavilhão das Galeotas (Galley Pavilion), with part of the permanent exhibition
• Sea charts and navigation instruments
• Henrique Maufroy de Seixas collection
• History of the Portuguese relationship with the sea since the Age of Discoveries
• Housed in the Jerónimos Monastery

Permanent exhibitions

• Exposição permanente – alas norte e oeste – A journey through the history of the Portuguese relationship with the sea, with ship models, paintings, charts and navigation instruments.
• Exposição permanente – Pavilhão das Galeotas – Part of the museum's permanent exhibition, housed in the Pavilhão das Galeotas.

Founded

1863

Operated by

Marinha Portuguesa – Direção Cultural da Marinha

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Free admission on the first Sunday of each month until 14:00, on International Museum Day (18 May), on Navy Day (20 May), on the Museu de Marinha's Day (22 July) and, for children aged 4 to 12, on Children's Day (1 June).

There is a combined ticket with the Planetário de Marinha and the Passe CulturaMAR, which includes the Museu de Marinha, the frigate D. Fernando II e Glória, the Vasco da Gama Aquarium and the Planetário de Marinha, valid for four months.

Accessibility

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

Wide main entrance with a level ramp, wheelchair available on loan during the visit, platform ramps and a lift to the first floor, accessible toilet, reserved parking at the entrance, 2D and 3D models of emblematic pieces, and a tactile route in the foyer, on the staircase to the first floor and at the entrance to the Pavilhão das Galeotas. The museum has an ongoing programme to improve accessibility.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

GPS coordinates provided by the museum: 38.697473, -9.208039. There are parking spaces for people with disabilities at the museum entrance.

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