Tile Museum (Museo Nacional do Azulejo)

Location:
Rua Madre de Deus 4
Lisbon, Portugal

Museum

By Christopher Minster

The Portuguese have been experts at porcelain, ceramics and tile for centuries. Many of the exteriors of older buildings in Lima are covered in centuries-old tile, as it was discovered long ago that doing so would keep homes cool and dry. In addition to this practical application, Portuguese tile is an art form, unique to this nation. This museum is dedicated to tiles, and has many examples of different styles, designs and eras in tile-making. It boasts several large tile murals in addition to smaller displays showing designs and patterns. Informative displays explain materials, colors, history and more. The pride of the collection is a 1300 piece mural in blue and white, 75 feet long, which shows the city of Lisbon: it was made in 1738 and survived the great earthquake of 1755. As an added bonus, the tile museum is located in an old convent, whose beautiful chapel is home to, naturally, many beautiful, original tiles. Be sure to check out the kitchen/restaurant, which is nicely decorated. Of course, there is a gift shop where you can purchase tiles of your own.

Getting There
Take a taxi or bus 718, 742 or 794

Travel Tips: Plan on about 2 hours to comfortably see the museum.

Price Description: General admission: €3, half price for students and seniors.

Relative price: Budget

Open Hours from:Tuesday 2-6, Wed. - Sun 10-6, closed Monday

Days Closed:Mondays and major holidays

To See and Do: Don't miss the chapel!

Contact Information:
Phone: 351 21 810 0340
Fax: 21 810 0389
URL: www.mnazulejo-ipmuseus.pt/code/common/presentation/index_site.php

Traveler Reviews of Tile Museum (Museo Nacional do Azulejo)

don't miss it

Rating: 100%

The tile museum might not be the first place you think of for a visit, but it's really well done and interesting. Tiles are a very important part of Portuguese history, and you'll see them everywhere, so a trip to this museum is very useful!

By Gideon from Scottsville, NY, Oct 09, 2007