Museu Nacional Grão Vasco
Art museum housed in the Paço dos Três Escalões, next to the Sé de Viseu cathedral, with paintings by Grão Vasco and his contemporaries and collections of decorative arts.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Museu Nacional Grão Vasco was created by decree of 16 March 1916, in the context of the separation of State and Church, to bring together the paintings and the treasure of the Sé de Viseu, including the work of the painter Vasco Fernandes, known as Grão Vasco. Francisco de Almeida Moreira was the first director and the central figure in its creation. For decades, part of the collection remained in the premises of the Sé.
The permanent home is the Paço dos Três Escalões, adjoining the cathedral. The granite building was constructed on the site of the former episcopal residence, with works begun in 1593 as a seminary or college for training the clergy; the upper floor was added in the 18th century. The collections have occupied its galleries since 1938.
Between 2001 and 2003 the building was remodelled to a design by the architect Eduardo Souto Moura, who freed the interior from later additions and adapted it to a new museum programme. In addition to painting from the 16th to the 20th century, the museum holds sculpture, goldsmiths’ work, ceramics, furniture, textiles, archaeology, numismatics and pieces classified as national treasures.
Highlights
- Former altarpiece of the high chapel of the Sé de Viseu, by Grão Vasco and collaborators
- Galleries devoted to Grão Vasco, his collaborators and contemporaries, and the Viseu School
- Cook Triptych and a collection of Portuguese painting from the 17th to the 20th century
- Baroque sculpture, goldsmiths’ work, ceramics and decorative arts
- Building remodelled by Eduardo Souto Moura
Permanent exhibitions
- Exposição permanente – Painting by Grão Vasco, his collaborators and contemporaries, including the former altarpiece of the high chapel of the Sé de Viseu, and galleries of Portuguese painting from the 17th to the 20th century.
- Artes decorativas, escultura e tesouros nacionais – Baroque sculpture, goldsmiths’ work, ceramics, furniture and other pieces, among them 24 items classified as national treasures.
- Founded
- 1916
- Operated by
- Museus e Monumentos de Portugal, E. P. E.
- Visitors per year
- approx. 33,479
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5Visitors aged 65 and over, young people aged 13 to 24, and families (at least one adult and one child) |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 11 · Free admission for children under 12 accompanied by an adult. |
| Seniors | €550% discount from age 65, upon proof. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for visitors with a disability and one companion. |
| Students & apprentices | –Schools on educational visits: free admission with prior booking. |
| Families | €550% discount for families with at least one adult and one child. |
Free admission: Residents of Portugal have free access on 52 days a year, at the visitor’s choice.
Free admission also for unemployed residents of the European Union, members of ICOM, ICOMOS and APOM, and other groups listed in the price table of Museus e Monumentos de Portugal, upon proof.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
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
- Café
- Museum shop
The official page of Museus e Monumentos de Portugal lists a shop and a café.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
The official page mentions the possibility of renting spaces and an auditorium.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The education service organises guided tours from Tuesday to Friday for groups of up to 25 people, by prior booking by phone or email. School groups holding a credential enter free. |
