Museu do Ar

About the museum

The idea of an aviation museum in Portugal goes back to the early 20th century. In 1968 the Museu do Ar was created by decree, based in Alverca, and it opened to the public in 1971. As the collection grew, the Alverca premises became insufficient, and the Air Force converted a hangar at Air Base No. 1, in Granja do Marquês, Sintra, into a new headquarters of about 3,500 m².

The Sintra museum was officially inaugurated in December 2009. TAP and ANA installed their own collections there and, in 2011, a second expansion phase added about 3,000 m², through the restoration of three hangars from the 1920s, from the time when the Military Aviation School moved to Granja do Marquês.

The museum is run by the Portuguese Air Force and, in addition to its Sintra headquarters, has the sites of Alverca and Ovar. In 2013 it shared the Museu Português Prize (Prémio Museu Português) with the Museu Nacional de Machado de Castro.

Highlights

• Main hangar with 42 aircraft in chronological order
• TAP room with the company's first flight simulator
• ANA collection
• Historic hangars from the 1920s
• Pioneers Room, with the flights of Sacadura Cabral and Gago Coutinho
• Replicas of historic aircraft, such as the 14 Bis

Permanent exhibitions

• Hangar principal – Space of about 3,000 m² with 42 aircraft on display in chronological order, illustrating Portuguese military and civil aviation, with a photo panel on the first hundred years of aviation in Portugal.
• Sala da TAP – Room of about 700 m² on the history of the airline since 1945, with the first flight simulator, crew uniforms and on-board crockery.
• Sala dos Pioneiros – Room on the early years of aviation in Portugal, with a map of the main flights of Portuguese aviators, personal documents, trophies and navigation instruments, including the flights of Sacadura Cabral and Gago Coutinho.

Founded

1968

Operated by

Força Aérea Portuguesa

Admission & discounts

Free admission: First Sunday of each month

Rates valid for the Sintra museum and the Alverca site; the Ovar site has free admission for adults.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• 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 has a page on the accessibility of its site on the internet; no information about the visit route is given.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

By car from Lisbon, take the IC19 and then the A16 to the exit for the N9 towards Pêro Pinheiro, where the right-hand exit is signposted for Air Base No. 1 and the Museu do Ar.

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