visit > museums & galleries

The gates welcome us with magnificence and invite us to visit the garden, that presents itself as a welcome cocktail and anticipates the visit to the Museu Nacional do Teatro e da Dança (National Museum of Theater and Dance), where the performing arts leave their ephemeral nature aside.

Inaugurated in 1985, the museum is in the former Palácio do Monteiro-Mor and gathers about 250 thousand pieces connected with the world of entertainment. Here, the iconic costumes of the ballets and the ballerina shoes happily coexist with scale models, drawings, cartoons, sculptures, posters, newspapers clippings, records, music scores and thousands of photographs. And even though there are many pieces to discover here, the visit is organized so that the collections make sense to the visitor and that the history of this world is told clearly.

In the Museu Nacional do Teatro e da Dança you'll also find the documents and objects used behind the scenes (such as the music scores or the actors' texts, wind machines and light organs), as well as a clear link with other areas such as literature, music, fashion, journalism, architecture, fine arts and graphic design, among others.

And if Art represents the feelings, ideas and problems of the society, this museum demonstrates the possibility of conveying a message through a show as well. This is a visit you can't miss if you love - or wish to learn more! - this world of creative costumes and dream scenarios.

In addition to the permanent exhibition, the Museu Nacional do Teatro e da Dança is also the stage of temporary exhibitions about theatrical companies, personalities connected with the world of spectacle, successful shows and even lesser known aspects of the theatrical work. Stay tuned!

Cool Tip: On the top floor you will be able to feel the real experience of theater. The backstage area features a chariot with various costumes that you can try to make you feel like a real actor.