Museu do Mar Rei D. Carlos

About the museum

The Museu do Mar Rei D. Carlos occupies the building of the former Sporting Club de Cascais, also known as the Clube da Parada, founded in 1879 on the initiative of the then Prince Carlos. From 1976 onwards, growing awareness of the importance of the municipality's maritime heritage and the gradual decline of fishing created the conditions for a museum devoted to the sea and to the memory of the people who lived from it. Cascais Town Council set it up in the building and opened it on 7 June 1992. In 1997 it was renamed the Museu do Mar Rei D. Carlos, in homage to the monarch who loved the sea and was an oceanographer.

Of the nineteenth-century building, the Octagonal Room survives and serves as the entrance. The other rooms are later extensions, created to display the growing collection and to house the library, the educational service, the storerooms and the conservation and restoration office. The permanent exhibition has been remodelled in a dynamic and interactive style, increasingly focused on biodiversity and environmental issues.

The route brings together units on shipwrecks and underwater archaeology in the sea off Cascais, the ocean, fishing and the people of the sea, seamanship and navigation, marine fossils, molluscs, and the oceanographic science of King Carlos I and his expeditions. Since 1995 the Council has awarded the King Carlos I Sea Prize.

Highlights

• “Cascais na Rota dos Naufrágios” unit, with underwater archaeology finds
• Exhibition on King Carlos I and oceanographic science, with his campaigns aboard the yacht Amélia
• Units on fishing, seamanship and navigation
• Room of marine fossils and the World of Molluscs
• Octagonal Room, part of the nineteenth-century club building

Permanent exhibitions

• Exposição permanente – Route through several units: “Cascais na Rota dos Naufrágios” (Cascais on the Shipwreck Route), “Oceano Aberto” (Open Ocean), “Gentes do Mar – Pescarias” (People of the Sea – Fishing), “Marinharia e Navegação” (Seamanship and Navigation), marine fossils and the world of molluscs.
• D. Carlos e a Ciência Oceanográfica – Room on the role of King Carlos I in the development of oceanography, with specimens from his collection and images of the 12 campaigns carried out aboard the yachts “Amélia”.

Founded

1992

Operated by

Câmara Municipal de Cascais

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Free admission.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The educational service organises workshops, games and entertainment, especially on International Museums Day and International Children's Day. The “Visita-ateliê” (studio visit) activities for families and schools run throughout the year and require booking.

Getting there & parking

The museum is in the upper part of Cascais town centre, within the town's cultural perimeter. By car, from the A5 follow the signs to “Museu do Mar” or “Casa das Histórias Paula Rego”. Coming from the Marginal (seafront road), go up towards the Cidadela, where you can park.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

The museum has a shop and a library specialising in maritime and nautical subjects. The library was temporarily closed for renovation; books must be requested in advance by telephone or email.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit