Museu Internacional de Escultura Contemporânea
Open-air museum with 54 sculptures from international symposia, spread across parks and squares in Santo Tirso, freely visitable.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Museu Internacional de Escultura Contemporânea of Santo Tirso arose from a proposal made in 1990 by the sculptor Alberto Carneiro to the municipal council, to organise sculpture symposia around contemporary art and, in particular, public sculpture. After four symposia, the council approved the creation of the museum on 20 November 1996, and it was inaugurated in 1997 by the President of the Republic, Jorge Sampaio. In 1999 its structure was reformulated and it came to have two artistic curators, the sculptor Alberto Carneiro and the art critic Gérard Xuriguera.
The museum occupies the urban perimeter of the town, which allows an independent and free visit and reinforces the relationship of each piece with the space around it. The works resulting from ten editions of the International Sculpture Symposium, held between 1991 and 2015, are placed there. The collection today has 54 sculptures by Portuguese and foreign artists, organised into six main units: the Parque D. Maria II and adjacent gardens, the Praça do Município, the Parque dos Carvalhais, the Praça Camilo Castelo Branco, the Parque Urbano de Rabada and the Parque Urbano de Gião.
The museum's reception point is in the monastery of Santo Tirso, where the Museu Municipal Abade Pedrosa also operates. The architects Álvaro Siza Vieira and Eduardo Souto de Moura designed, in 2014 and 2015, the intervention in the monastery and a new reception space serving both museums.
Highlights
- 54 open-air sculptures in the parks and squares of Santo Tirso
- Works from ten international sculpture symposia (1991–2015)
- Artists including Alberto Carneiro, Dani Karavan, Julio Le Parc, Rui Chafes and Pedro Cabrita Reis
- Six units, including the Parque D. Maria II and the Parque dos Carvalhais
- Reception space designed by Siza Vieira and Souto de Moura
Permanent exhibition
- Coleção de arte pública – The 54 sculptures resulting from the sculpture symposia are spread across six units in the city's parks and squares, on a free-visit route.
- Founded
- 1997
- Operated by
- Câmara Municipal de Santo Tirso
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Adults | free |
|---|
The open-air sculptures can be visited freely, without a ticket.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
The education programme includes seven activity booklets to do at home, as well as workshops.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
- Museum shop
The museum has a shop, also online.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
The auditorium can be hired.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The museum's services include guided tours, audio guides, workshops, access to the specialised library and hire of the auditorium. The museum publishes activity booklets to do at home. |
