Calouste Gulbenkian Museum

Lisbon, Portugal

Calouste Gulbenkian Museum was founded in conformity with Calouste Gulbenkian's (1869-1955) last will and testament. He was a British businessman and philanthropist of Armenian origin. He played a major role in making the petroleum reserves of the Middle East available to Western development and is credited with being the first person to exploit Iraqi oil.

The permanent exhibition and galleries are distributed chronologically and in geographical order to create two independent circuits within the overall tour.

The first circuit highlights Greco-Roman art from classical antiquity and art from the ancient Near East including Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Persian and Armenian art as well as Persian art from the Islamic period.

The second circuit includes European art, with sections dedicated to the art of the book, sculpture, painting and the decorative arts, particularly 18th century French art and the work of René Lalique. In this circuit, a wide-ranging number of pieces reflect various European artistic trends from the beginning of the 11th century to the mid-20th century.

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Details

Founded: 1957
Category: Museums in Portugal

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Salt Ginger (12 months ago)
A place worth visiting, not crowded, where you can quietly appreciate some excellent collections. The museum displays its items classified by civilizations, offering some nice perspectives. The garden is also lovely, with many adorable ducks, perfect for sunbathing on the lawn.
Blanca Duarte Martini (13 months ago)
One of the best museums I've been to. Reminded me of a mini-MET. Collection is varied and includes coins from the early Greeks and 18th century furniture. Kept my attention for a long time. Places to sit and relax while moving through the space. Highly recommend a visit!
Ana Maier (14 months ago)
Really nice exhibitions and the garden is to dream for. It is the best garden I have seen in Lisbon so far, I always dream of the next time I will go there. So many places where you can enjoy the views, the ducks and the landscape in general. I love it ???
Shannon Mahedy (14 months ago)
What a lovely museum! This hidden gem is nestled in an urban oasis. The entrance fee is affordable, and it wasn’t too crowded. Granted, we visited mid-week, so perhaps the weekends are busier. The museum houses the private collection of a rich oil guy, and while I think many of the priceless artifacts from around the world should be returned to their places of origin, I must admit that it was incredibly cool to meander through the exquisitely-curated rooms and marvel at the wonders that await. I appreciated that each object was allowed to shine, and the exhibits weren’t overcrowded. Each item has its own space to breathe. The museum takes about an hour to go through if you take your time, and I think it’s an excellent size. My favorite parts were the Turkish plates, European impressionist paintings, jewelry room at the end, and the Egyptian room. The gift shop felt overpriced and underwhelming, but the cafe was very cute.
Francesca Coleschi (14 months ago)
I went on the 1st weekend of the month so the ticket was free; even though there was a big line for getting in it moved pretty fast. The collection exceeded my expectations, hosting so many different and interesting pieces of art. I loved the contrast with art and nature in the background. Definitely worth a visit (or two)!
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