International Museum Day: the free places you can enter

Since 1977, May 18 has been celebrated as International Museum Day and, since then, there have always been offers for everyone on this day, from free admission to museums, activities for all the family and guided tours of temporary and permanent exhibitions… all over the world.

This year, under the motto “The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities”, International Museum Day explores various themes and makes a special invitation to reimagine the role of museums as catalysts for change and innovation.

Let’s take a look at some of the news already announced for this year, which you can mark in your calendar, knowing in advance that entry to the spaces of the Museums and Monuments of Portugal will be free.

You should also know that the day before, May 17 (Saturday), is the European Night of Museums, so there will be almost two days full of activities and lots of art to admire.

MACAM

One of Lisbon’s newest museums will also be celebrating this day with lots of activities, but only with free admission on May 18.

Highlights include:

• Visit-Conversation: “Gardens of the Future”, Saturday and Sunday at 12 noon, in the MACAM Garden
  • As part of the partnership between MACAM and the Jardins Abertos festival, we are opening the doors of our garden for a visit-conversation that combines art and ecology;

• Thematic Visit: “Challenges in the Conservation and Installation of Works of Art in Museums”, Sunday at 3:30 p.m. in Gallery 4
  • Temporary exhibition War: Reality, Myth and Fiction, based on the emblematic work No Life Lost II (2015), by Berlinde De Bruyckere, MACAM Collection Manager Sofia Gomes discusses the technical and conceptual challenges of conserving and installing contemporary works in a museum context;

• Free visit to the desacralized former chapel, Sunday from 3pm to 6pm
  • Take the opportunity to freely visit MACAM’s deconsecrated former chapel, the future àCapela – Live Arts&Bar space, which will be exceptionally open to the public on this occasion.

Royal Treasure Museum

On this day, visitors can take part in a guided tour of the goldsmithing collection of King Ferdinand II and King Luís, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.; and a crown jewels workshop, “Oficina Real: Torne-se um Ourives de Joias da Coroa”, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

On May 18, all general admission tickets to the Royal Treasure Museum benefit from a 50% discount.

Museum of Contemporary Art, Belém Cultural Center

The MAC/CCB has prepared a program for the whole weekend to celebrate International Museum Day, with a series of visits that invite you to explore the space and the exhibitions here.

On May 17, special emphasis will be placed on the unique and affective universe of director Chantal Akerman, with actress Beatriz Batarda reading an excerpt from “A Family in Brussels” and visiting the exhibition with director Marta Mateus. On Sunday, May 18, we invite you to a series of special visits with the curators of the exhibitions hosted by the museum!

Lisbon Museum

On May 18, the traditional Baroque Ball will once again be held at the Museu de Lisboa – Palácio Pimenta, with access to workshops, games and staged visits in the same palace. The entertainment starts at 3 p.m. and ends at 7 p.m. and includes a “Modinhas” concert, a puppet show and the chance to draw a portrait using the court painter. Admission is free.

Bordalo Pinheiro Museum

On International Museum Day, the Bordalo Pinheiro Museum will host two days of the second edition of Paródia do Bordalo, which is a kind of event that brings together a range of activities, such as a book fair, artistic workshops and guided tours.

The Book Fair is organized by the Cult and Livraria da Lapa bookshops, and will take place throughout the duration of the event in the museum’s courtyard.

The cultural offer is for two days, May 17 and 18, between 10am and 6pm, is free and also includes food and drink.

National Tile Museum

Like all the spaces mentioned so far, the National Tile Museum will also be open for free on International Museum Day, with a fantastic program that includes music, guided tours, tile paintings and open participation activities.

Carris Museum

The Carris Museum is also joining in these celebrations with a special program for May 18, International Museum Day.

On this day, admission will be free and will begin at 10am with a guided tour for families with children up to the age of 6. In the afternoon, at 2pm, there will be another visit, this time aimed at participants aged 6 and over.

National Museum of Ancient Art

The National Museum of Ancient Art will celebrate both dates, International Museum Day and European Museum Night, on May 17 and 18, with game visits for families; guided tours for the general public; the performance “At arm’s length”; a concert with “kantar Goa at the MNAA” by the Ekvat Group; and the presentation of the project “Património Cultural 360º” (Cultural Heritage 360º).

Admission is free and does not require prior registration.

National Museum of Natural History and Science

The National Museum of Natural History and Science has prepared a special program with visits to its collections, exhibitions and activities:

• 10h30: Guided tour of the Lisbon Botanical Garden
• 11am – 5pm: Visitable reserve of the Valentim dos Santos mammal collection
• 11h30: Performance by the University of Lisbon Children’s Choir (atrium)
• 12h15: Guided tour of the Taxidermy Laboratory
• 14h: Guided tour of the marine invertebrate and insect collection reserves
• 14h30: Guided tour of the Tropical Botanical Garden and the ethnographic collections at the Calheta Palace (Belém)
• 15:00: View of the Entre Dinossáurios exhibition
• 16h0: Guided tour of the LISU Herbarium
• 16h30: 30 minutes on Minerals

On this day, free admission to the Museum (from 10am to 5pm), the Lisbon Botanical Garden and the Tropical Botanical Garden (from 9am to 8pm), with registration taking place at the venue and subject to capacity.

National Coach Museum

The National Coach Museum will also be taking part in this day, with free admission, guided tours, game visits, concerts and much more:

On May 17th:

• 6 p.m.: Guided tour of the Reserves “100 Years of a Unique Equestrian Heritage”, MNC New Building
  • Upon registration: rita.dargent@museudoscoches.pt

• 7pm: Mozart’s “Gran Partita” Wind Camerata Concert, MNC Old Royal Riding Arena
• 20h30: Guided tours of the collection, MNC Old Royal Riding Arena and New Building

On May 10th:

• 11 a.m., 2.30 p.m. and 4.30 p.m.: Guided tours of the collection, MNC New Building
• 3pm: Visit-Game “Mystery in the Museum: A Family Detective Mission”, MNC New Building
  • Upon registration: se.mncoches@museudosches.pt
  • 16h30: Documentary about the dancer and choreographer Benvindo da Fonseca.

All activities are free.

Ajuda National Palace

On May 17 and 18, the Ajuda National Palace will offer a very special program to celebrate both dates, with the events “There’s music in the palace”; “Kings and Queens for a night”; “Discovering the palace”, dedicated to families; and flash visits.

Orient Museum

On this special day, the Museu do Oriente also offers free admission to visit the various exhibitions, with special attention to the shows:

• Guided visit to “Foto Arte Ganesh”: learn more about Goa through the photography of Krishna Navelcar from the collection of the Orient Foundation, in a visit led by the Assistant Commissioner, Douglas Santos da Silva.
  • Times: 10.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m.

• Guided visit to “The Change of Seasons in Japan”: an invitation to learn about some of Japan’s festivals and rituals, testimony to a collective cultural heritage that calls for individual responsibility to contribute to a more sustainable world.
  • Times: 11.30 a.m., 3 p.m. and 4.30 p.m.

• Indian Dance Marathon” workshop: head to India to celebrate Indian dance, experimenting with classic styles such as Kathak and Odissi, and modern Bollywood.
  • Times: at 3pm

National Museum of Contemporary Art in Chiado

This year, MNAC will also be putting on a diverse two-day program.

May 17th:

• 7pm: Guided Tour of the “Digital Impressions” exhibition
• 21h30: Musical performance by João Pimenta Gomes
  • Museum opening hours: from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. (exceptionally Saturday, May 17)

May 18th:

• 12h: Workshop for Families (prior registration via se.mnac@museusemonumentos.pt)
• 3pm: Works from the Café-Museum of “A Brasileira”

MAAT

To mark International Museum Day, MAAT offers a special program and opens its doors for free with a range of activities for all ages:

• 10h30: Visit to the Electricity Factory for the little ones | From 7 to 12 years old
• 11am to 12pm: Chi Kung class | With: Margarida Sá Domingues and Marta Mateus
• 11am: Visit to the exhibition 15th edition of the EDP Foundation New Artists Award | General public
• 11:30 a.m.: Science workshop: Solar Carts | From 6 to 12 years old
• Science workshop: Don’t Wake the Dragon | Ages 6 to 12
• Themed visit: How This Museum Works | General public
• 12h: Visit to the Ana León – Gestos exhibition | General public
• 1pm: Visit to the exhibition Jeff Wall. Time Stands Still. Photographs, 1980-2023 | General public
• 13h30: Visit to the Electricity Factory | General public
• 3pm: Specific Educational Needs Workshop: Alert with Senses | Public with specific educational needs
• Visit to MAAT Garden and Permanent Art Installations | General public
• 4pm: Visit to the Rui Moreira -Transe exhibition | General public
• Science Workshop: The Magic of the Electromagnet | From 8 to 12 years old
• 5pm: Visit to the Electricity Factory | General public
• Visit to the exhibition Jeff Wall. Time Stands Still. Photographs, 1980-2023 | General public
• 6pm: Visit to the History of Energy exhibition | General public

Although admission is free, participation in the activities requires registration on the day at the MAAT Central ticket office and is subject to capacity.

Medeiros e Almeida Museum

With free admission between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. (last entry at 4:30 p.m.), the MMA joins the celebrations of this date only on Saturday, May 17, where it invites everyone to discover the Decorative Arts collection exhibited in the former residence of the Medeiros e Almeida couple, now converted into a museum by the collector himself.

Fernando Pessoa House

On May 18, Casa Fernando Pessoa has scheduled a concert with Sopa de Pedra, a female vocal group that sings traditional Portuguese music, making harmonies and polyphonic arrangements that refer to the music of today’s world. However, tickets are already sold out. It also offers free guided tours of the exhibition at 11am and 3pm.

Gulbenkian Foundation

The Gulbenkian Foundation is celebrating International Museum Day with two days and a night of visits, workshops, poetry, talks, concerts, performances and lots of music.

On these days, entry to CAM and all the temporary exhibitions is free, while on May 17 it closes at midnight, with a Silent Party led by DJs Mama Demba and Lady G Brown, starting at 9pm.

Check out the full program on the website.

You can find the rest of the program for this International Museum Day on the official website of the Museums and Monuments of Portugal .

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