Museu Nacional Resistência e Liberdade
Memory museum in the Fortaleza de Peniche, the former political prison of the Estado Novo, with an exhibition on the resistance and the 25 April revolution.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Fortaleza de Peniche, listed as a National Monument in 1938, began as a 16th-century defensive structure and was later used as a prison. During the Estado Novo it housed the Cadeia Política do Forte de Peniche, through which some 2,600 political prisoners passed, and it was here that the prisoners were released on 27 April 1974. The famous escape of January 1960, carried out by ten prisoners, is one of the best-known episodes of resistance to the dictatorship.
In 2017 the Council of Ministers met in the fortress itself and decided to create a national museum there dedicated to the memory of 48 years of suppressed freedoms. The architectural project, by Atelier AR4, preserves the existing buildings and courtyards and lays out several visiting routes, from the former political prison to the elements of the 16th-century fortification. In April 2019 the Memorial aos Presos Políticos was inaugurated, a large sculpture in corten steel bearing the names of the prisoners.
The Museu Nacional Resistência e Liberdade was officially opened on 27 April 2024, fifty years after the release of the prisoners. It is run by Museus e Monumentos de Portugal and places Portugal on the international circuit of memory museums.
Key themes
- Permanent exhibition “Resistência e Liberdade” in Pavilion C
- High-security cells and the route of the 1960 escape
- Memorial aos Presos Políticos with the names of 2,636 prisoners
- Fortim Redondo, used as a disciplinary cell (“o Segredo”)
- Chapel of Santa Bárbara and the history of the fortress
Permanent exhibitions
- Resistência e Liberdade – Permanent exhibition on the first floor of Pavilion C on repression and resistance during the Estado Novo; on the second floor visitors can see the high-security cells and the route of the 1960 escape.
- Pavilhão D: 25 de Abril e 1.º de Maio de 1974 – Content on the release of political prisoners and the disciplinary cells of the “Novo Segredo”, with inscriptions on the walls.
- Founded
- 2024
- Operated by
- Museus e Monumentos de Portugal, E.P.E.
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5People aged 65 or over, young people aged 13 to 24 and families with at least one adult and one minor (50% off the standard ticket) |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 12 · Free admission for children and young people up to and including age 12. |
| Seniors | €550% off from age 65. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for visitors with a proven disability of 60% or more, and one companion. |
| Students & apprentices | –Young people aged 13 to 24 receive 50% off; teachers and pupils on a documented study visit enter free. |
| Groups (15+ people) | –Guided group visits (15 to 25 people) by prior booking: €60 per group, plus the admission ticket. |
| Families | –50% off for families with at least one adult and one minor. |
Free admission: Residents of Portugal: 52 days of free admission per year (Voucher 52, with the Cartão de Cidadão). Free admission also for former political prisoners of the Cadeia do Forte de Peniche and their direct family.
General rates of Museus e Monumentos de Portugal. The Memorial, the Parlatório, the outdoor area, the Chapel of Santa Bárbara and the bookshop are free to visit.
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
Information on accessibility not found on the pages consulted.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 12 |
|---|
Free admission up to age 12 and 50% off for families. The museum has an educational service with activities.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Buses from Rodoviária do Oeste and Rede Expressos to Peniche.
From Lisbon, about 102 km via the A8, exit 14 (Óbidos), then the IP6 to Peniche and the Campo da República.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
Livraria Resistência e Liberdade, a bookshop specialising in literature on the resistance.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Group visits require prior booking (se@mnresistencialiberdade.pt), with 15 to 25 participants. The route passes the Memorial, the Parlatório, the Fortim Redondo, the prison pavilions C, D and B, the Chapel of Santa Bárbara and the Pátio da Cisterna. |
