Museu de Arte Popular (Popular Art Museum), Lisbon

Museu de Arte Popular (Popular Art Museum), Lisbon

Located in a space that may initially strike one as slightly too expansive for its collection, this delightful museum offers a captivating journey through Portugal's rich folk art heritage. The exhibits span a wide spectrum, featuring everything from exquisite wooden and cork toys to ceramics, rugs, and traditional costumes, including the awe-inspiring cloaks hailing from the Trás-os-Montes region.

Originally constructed by the architect Veloso Reis for the Portuguese World Exhibition in 1940, the museum's first building underwent a significant transformation in 2003. The exhibits are now thoughtfully organized, grouped by their regions of origin and their practical purposes. Visitors can marvel at an impressive collection encompassing agricultural implements, pastoral art, musical instruments, carts, furniture, textiles, costumes, ceramics from Minho, baskets from Trassos Montes, pottery from Alentejo, and fishing tools from the Algarve.

The museum's creation also involved the collaborative efforts of a diverse team of "decorator-painters," resulting in an interior adorned with an extensive array of mural compositions. These paintings vividly depict the various regions of the country and serve as authentic experiments in modernist artistry. They portray the people of Portugal in their everyday lives, as well as during popular festivals and pilgrimages, providing a holistic and immersive experience for museum visitors.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Lisbon. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

Museu de Arte Popular (Popular Art Museum) on Map

Sight Name: Museu de Arte Popular (Popular Art Museum)
Sight Location: Lisbon, Portugal (See walking tours in Lisbon)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery

Walking Tours in Lisbon, Portugal

Create Your Own Walk in Lisbon

Create Your Own Walk in Lisbon

Creating your own self-guided walk in Lisbon is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Belem Walking Tour

Belem Walking Tour

Also known as Santa Maria de Belem, the district of Belém is one of the most visited in Lisbon. Situated not far from the city center, it lines the Tagus River and is the original location of Lisbon's port – the starting point of the many great voyages of discovery by Portuguese explorers, such as Vasco da Gama – departed from here for India in 1497, and Pedro Álvares Cabral – for...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Alfama Walking Tour

Alfama Walking Tour

Alfama is the oldest neighborhood in Lisbon, spreading downhill between the medieval former royal Castle of São Jorge and the Tagus river. Under the Islamic rule, Alfama constituted the largest part of the city, and was increasingly inhabited by fishermen and the poor. The reputation of being a poor area still lives on. The name Alfama derives from the Arabic al-ḥamma, which means "hot...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Lisbon Introduction Walking Tour

Lisbon Introduction Walking Tour

Legend goes that Lisbon's name has derived either from Allis Ubbo, meaning "safe harbor" in Phoenician, or from the pre-Roman name of the River Tagus, Lisso. Nestled at Europe's western edge and featuring numerous architectural styles, it ranks as the world's 10th oldest city and traces its roots back to the Phoenician Civilization, who settled it approximately three...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.3 Km or 2.1 Miles
Sao Jorge Castle to Lisbon Cathedral Walking Tour

Sao Jorge Castle to Lisbon Cathedral Walking Tour

Spreading on the slope between Saint George's Castle (Castelo de Sao Jorge) and the Tagus River, the oldest neighborhood of the Portuguese capital, Alfama, captivates visitors with its rich cultural heritage and picturesque ambiance. The area is home to numerous historical attractions and as such makes a perfect destination for a classic Lisbon walk!

Perhaps the best starting point for it...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.1 Km or 0.7 Miles

Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip


Top 10 Cafes and Restaurants in Lisbon

Top 10 Cafes and Restaurants in Lisbon

Experience Lisbon as a local by enjoying typical Portuguese dishes at the best restaurants throughout the city at a price you can afford. Take away the overwhelming pressure of deciding where to eat in a city as dynamic and riveting as Lisbon by allowing this guide to suggest local restaurants with...
17 Uniquely Portuguese Things to Buy in Lisbon

17 Uniquely Portuguese Things to Buy in Lisbon

Formerly a major colonial power, Portugal has accumulated great knowledge in craftsmanship. While in Lisbon, you can treat yourself to a vast variety of quality things: wines, ceramics, jewellery, leather goods, books and many more. Most shops in Lisbon open at 9 or 10am, and close in the evening at...