Seven decades since the Foundation’s founding, a renovated museum, and a free night of opera. The Gulbenkian kicked off its anniversary year in a big way, and the best is yet to come.
The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation was established in 1956 and has since become one of the country’s most important cultural institutions . This anniversary year will not go unnoticed: there is a program designed to last several months, featuring concerts, exhibitions, film screenings, conferences, and a museum reopening that many people have been eagerly awaiting.
The museum is back
The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum closed its doors in March 2025 for a major renovation: new climate control, lighting, and security systems, and a reorganization of the galleries to restore the spirit of the original design.
More than a year later, it reopened on July 18. If you’re familiar with the space, you’ll find it different. If you haven’t been there yet, you now have a good excuse.
The anniversary concert is free
On the very night of the reopening, the Grand Auditorium hosted the concert celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Gulbenkian Foundation. The Gulbenkian Choir and Orchestra joined forces under the baton of conductor Carlo Rizzi and alongside soprano Sonya Yoncheva for a program of European opera: Bizet, Puccini, Dvořák, Verdi, among others. Admission was free.
And after July?
The anniversary program continues. In September, there’s a film series exploring the relationships between music, culture, and society, featuring screenings of *Stop Making Sense* (1984) and *Summer of Soul* (2021), among others.
In November, the inaugural lecture of the Gulbenkian Institute for Advanced Studies, featuring historian David Nirenberg, director of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton.
And the year wraps up with concerts by the Gulbenkian Orchestra in October and December, featuring premieres by Portuguese and international composers.
Useful Information
Address: Avenida de Berna 45A
Hours: daily
Tickets: on the website
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