The National Museum of Contemporary Art image

The National Museum of Contemporary Art

Museum Art museum

Contemporary art museum hosting exhibitions showcasing Portuguese art from 1850 to the present. People often mention museum, contemporary, interesting, pieces, visit, exhibitions, time, Portuguese, good, small,


Address

R. Serpa Pinto 4, 1200-444 Lisboa, Portugal

Website

www.museuartecontemporanea.gov.pt

Contact

+351 21 343 2148

Rating on Google Maps

4.00 (1.5K reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Friday: 10 am to 2 pm, 3 to 6 pm
  • Saturday: 10 am to 2 pm, 3 to 6 pm
  • Sunday: 10 am to 2 pm, 3 to 6 pm
  • Monday: Closed
  • Tuesday: 10 am to 2 pm, 3 to 6 pm
  • Wednesday: 10 am to 2 pm, 3 to 6 pm
  • Thursday: 10 am to 2 pm, 3 to 6 pm

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: museum (38) contemporary (19) interesting (14) pieces (12) visit (12) exhibitions (9) time (9) Portuguese (8) good (7) small (7)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 3/5 Ronald H. 1 year ago on Google
    Don't be fooled by the name, the museum is not a museum of contemporary art, but of modern art (1850-1980). There is a modest amount of contemporary art on the 1st and 3rd floor (a nice work by Wim Delvoye). The artworks in the museum are mainly (95 %) by Portuguese artists. Some interesting works by Rego and Menez, and other renowned artists. The lack of context with good foreign artist, however gives the museum a local flavor. The thing that is most worrying is the state of maintenance of the museum. The rooms are hot and humid, having a visible effect on the artworks. The garden with statues is an outright mess (see photos). Last but not least, the opening hours when we visited the museum are Tuesday - Sunday: 10:00-12:30 and 14:00-18:00 (closed on Monday). So, don't expect a MoMA, but a small museum with local interest in art from the 1850's onward.
    6 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 D T. 6 months ago on Google • 468 reviews
    Not a huge place but quite a good little gallery over 3 floors, some interesting stuff in there and a good excuse to get out of the sun for an hour

  • 4/5 David B. 2 years ago on Google
    Split location odd and directions unhelpful, small discrete collections … found it odd to see the larger pieces in such small rooms. Worthy of a visit. Liked the immersive architectural piece - nice idea.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Paul M. 2 years ago on Google
    Incredible value for 5 euro
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Roman G. 7 months ago on Google • 145 reviews
    Ambiguous impressions and, in principle, the museum is not bad. But somehow the expositions are built strangely, there are a lot of transitions from level to level. It is inexpensive and the style *contemporary art* the museum supports quite well. Don't forget to visit the outdoor sculpture exhibition between the first and second floors.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Nicoleta M. 1 year ago on Google
    The exhibitions were amazing. Echoes of nature was the reason of our visit but then we discovered many more beautiful ones.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Caylani Lisa E. 1 year ago on Google
    Some nice interesting pieces. went with my dad, a real art lover. the layout was a little confusing at first, but we made it happen! lady at the desk was having somewhat of a bad day… but we had fun and enjoyed ourselves.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Lesley Mary C. 3 months ago on Google • 255 reviews New
    Modern art on show in a beautiful space that is now a gallery. Tony Cragg's exhibition was interesting.

  • 3/5 Stijn T. 3 months ago on Google • 159 reviews New
    Small contemporary art museum. Not my favorite place for stunning exhibitions. Staff is cold and not happy to work in this place. The exhibition of Tony Cragg was average. The works were stunning, but there wasn’t a story behind the curatorial practice.

  • 4/5 Chef Menajem P. 4 years ago on Google
    As any other museum of this type you really need to like contemporary art, but if you are open mind them is a very interesting place to visit, if you have extra time on hand, why not. Although Lisboa has a lot of good museum
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Karolína N. 2 years ago on Google
    Mainly 20th century, it's not the most contemporary contemporary :) interesting part about reborn of Portuguese art after the dictatorship with Sousa
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Pam R. 11 months ago on Google
    I loved this museum. A glimpse into some local artists, the culture of art within lisboa and a lovely building that the collection is housed within.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Chris C. 1 year ago on Google
    The museum only had 2 floors and the ‘sculpture garden’ open despite having exhibitions scheduled for the other two floors. The ground floor and the mezzanine had a roughly a dozen works. With maybe two that stood out as exceptional. The sculpture garden was most underwhelming. The only exhibit, which was open on the second floor, was well assembled and curated. Even with the effort and talent impressed into this exhibit the art collection wasn’t specifically awe inspiring in breadth, depth, or complexity.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Elias L. 5 months ago on Google
    the place is actually closed for a change of exhibition, but they didn't bother to put an information. we've seen so many confused people in just a short time
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Christian S. 3 months ago on Google • 135 reviews New
    I'm not typically a fan of contemporary art, but I decided to step outside of my comfort zone and visit the National Museum of Contemporary Art (MNAC) in Lisbon. I'm glad I did! Even though I'm not an expert on contemporary art, I was fascinated by the exhibits. The museum is beautifully curated, and the exhibits are thought-provoking and engaging. I especially enjoyed the feeling of the museum. The space is airy and light-filled, and there's a faint scent of something that hangs in the air that's both calming and exciting. I also appreciated the fact that there's no circular way to explore the museum. This forced me to slow down and really take in each exhibit. Unfortunately, the inner yard with the sculptures was closed for technical maintenance when I visited. I'm sure it would have been beautiful to see the sculptures in the sunshine. Overall, I highly recommend the MNAC to anyone who is interested in contemporary art or who wants to have a unique and memorable experience.

  • 4/5 SY P. 8 months ago on Google • 118 reviews
    (Part of the lisboa pass) There was no line up required on a weekday, I agree with some of the other reviewers. I wish they had more details about the art pieces with descriptions. But overall, it was a nice little place to visit on your down time. There are also cute cafes and stores to check out around the area. I think it's worth a visit 😊

  • 3/5 Dimitrije D. 1 month ago on Google • 94 reviews New
    The museum did not meet my expectations. It was smaller than I anticipated, and a significant portion was inaccessible during my visit. I found the artwork challenging to comprehend. The most notable aspect was the Adam and Eve sculptures with belly buttons. While I acknowledge that contemporary art may present unconventional perspectives, I must admit that I am unable to grasp their significance.

  • 2/5 Precious X. 5 months ago on Google • 52 reviews
    Was disappointed because there was a change in exhibition during the time I came, so not much too see and the I'd I saw was mid! The receptionist wasn't much help and was very brief like she couldn't care less. But, I want here to see her so her customer service skills or lack there of didn't faze me much! Hopefully when I come again, there will be more to see.

  • 5/5 Kylie R. 3 months ago on Google • 21 reviews New
    Amazing gallery. Really well laid out and easy to walk around. One of the most cohesive art collections I’ve seen.

  • 4/5 Senga D. 3 weeks ago on Google • 16 reviews New
    Interesting museum with scattered works.

  • 3/5 Newman S. 2 weeks ago on Google • 15 reviews New
    It was still under renovation when we were there on March 8th, 2024. Not much to see and half of the area was closed off. Also, this particular exhibition is not of my taste.

  • 5/5 Fanny O. 2 weeks ago on Google • 13 reviews New
    Very cool exhibitions! A chronology in the rooms which allows you to follow the evolution of contemporary art.

  • 3/5 Jackie C. 4 months ago on Google • 10 reviews
    For me there just wasn't enough to see, especially for the price of the entrance ticket. So the rating is due to my perceived value of the experience. Not a lot of write-up to explain the artists or the pieces. Felt more could have been done to enhance the visit.

  • 2/5 Edouard H. 1 month ago on Google • 10 reviews New
    The gentleman at reception is very contemporary... 🙄

  • 1/5 Olivier D. 3 weeks ago on Google • 9 reviews New
    Don't lose your time in this museum wich isn't a real one 😡

  • 1/5 Richard F. 3 weeks ago on Google • 9 reviews New
    I discovered when I arrived that currently there is a major renovation of the museum and all but one of the galleries were closed. The only open gallery had a mishmash of items that were of no great merit. Worst of all was a film at the end which showed a large vulture or condor kept in an office. The poor creature was terrified; unable to extend its wings in such a restricted space. It was cruel beyond words. When I complained at the reception I was informed that they had received a number of complaints - and yet they continue to show this vile video, which has no place in art. The artist (whoever they were; I was so upset and had to get away quickly I didn't note their name) should be taken to court.

  • 2/5 Kuba J. 2 years ago on Google
    Boring. They do not have an idea for that Museum. It is just not interesting. Better spend time on fresh air

  • 4/5 Anna W. 2 years ago on Google
    Interesting medium sized museum with a collection of Portuguese art.

  • 1/5 Mats G. 2 years ago on Google
    Only painting. The Portuguese are trying to misunderstand what contemporary art is. Maybe because the church is still very strong. I saw a lot of schools run by the church there, just saying.

  • 3/5 Chrysa P. 2 years ago on Google
    Middle size museum with 4-5 different exhibitions. Such a disappointment only 1-2 of them are translated to English. Ticket 4,50€ and 50% discount for students, worth it.

  • 3/5 Théo V. 2 years ago on Google
    Good contemporary collection, however two of your exhibitions are not translated to English, which defeats the purpose for non portuguese speaking persons.

  • 4/5 Micaela A. 3 years ago on Google
    Central museum with a small collection of Modern art. I did appreciate one of the exhibitions I've seen here and I liked the museum size. It felt very intimate.

  • 4/5 Sarah Z. 2 years ago on Google
    Big museum, well organized, a variety of style and type of masterpiece; paintings, sculptures, photography, furnitures, videos... not a bug fan of modern art but it was a positive surprise.

  • 4/5 Pedro C. 3 weeks ago on Google • 3 reviews New
    I went to the museum and it was a good experience. The museum has very interesting pieces.

  • 5/5 Nasim C. 2 years ago on Google
    For just under 5 euros, this was a great small (relatively speaking) museum with a good mix of relatively modern sculptures, paintings and photography.

  • 3/5 Ro C. 2 years ago on Google
    Wouldn't say that current exhibitions are as interesting as in MAAT or in CCB. So I would visit this place at the whole end of a trip in case you have nothing to do

  • 4/5 Old L. 1 year ago on Google
    Collection is small. It gets 4 stars because we met one of the artists and had a great chat.

  • 3/5 Juan Fernando E. 2 years ago on Google
    Not a big museum and not a must in Lisboa unless you are art lover. I liked the pieces and gave me an idea of Portuguese modern art

  • 3/5 Stevie N. 2 years ago on Google
    Modern art is not mý thing but saw an original Piccaso and a Warhol. The terrace Cafe offered good eats and terrific view of the waterfront, including comfy loungers.

  • 5/5 Sarah W. 1 year ago on Google
    There’s genuinely something for everyone who is interested in contemporary art, from realism to abstract, and all the information was in both English and Portuguese. There was enough to see to spend an hour or 90 minutes, but it’s not overwhelming. Well worth the very reasonable entry price.

  • 1/5 Dan N. 1 year ago on Google
    A museum that torments people. After entering the museum, after about 30 minutes I woke up to a gentleman coming to me and telling me that I have to leave the museum because he wants to eat. I showed him on the phone that the program is from 10:00 to 18:00. Museum employees started to rush to us, to kick us out, we barely managed to take our luggage from the locker room. The gentleman at the tickets told me that it was a mistake with the program on the internet, he told me that he would talk to his boss to change it on the internet as well. Whatever the reason, this is not the case with people. Very ugly of them. I do not recommend.

  • 3/5 stephen g. 6 months ago on Google
    interesting building and displays. Lift not functioning so difficult access for those with limited mobility. panel about building history and development needs to be renewed, as the building is as interesting as the art.

  • 5/5 Alex H. 6 months ago on Google
    Pleasant surprise. Quite a lot of nice art. I have been to other contemporary art museums where the art is questionably even art but everything in here showed talent and wasn't just forcing the question 'what is art?' It was worth visiting and is free Sunday mornings for Portugal residents.

  • 5/5 Mira M. 1 year ago on Google
    I’m not a huge art connoisseur but I loved this museum. I thought the entrance fee was affordable, collections and exhibits were wonderful, and I liked that it wasn’t so crowded. I was able to stay as long as I liked without feeling rushed. Very nice architecture, too. Note that the museum closes (for lunch?) at 1pm. I’m not sure when it reopens, but it closes again at 6pm.

  • 4/5 Mateusz K. 1 year ago on Google
    Exposition well designed, but the selection itself didn't grabbed me on first. Building is interesting, staff is friendly!

  • 4/5 Olivia Del V. 1 year ago on Google
    If you have some extra time in your itinerary when visiting and/or a big modern and contemporary art fan, it’s worth a visit. Affordable entry with no wait time for tickets for us. Most descriptive text is translated into English as well. A small museum that can be done in an hour - hour & half.

  • 5/5 sella 10 months ago on Google
    Must visit in Lisbon! Interesting exhibits for 4.5€ and beautiful building.

  • 4/5 Chloe 1 year ago on Google
    Nice museum detailing modern Portuguese art. The temporary exhibitions were interesting and well laid out, although they didn’t seem particularly connected to Portugal. I wished there was a bit more contemporary Portuguese art in the permanent galleries.

  • 4/5 Eric B. 10 months ago on Google
    The Salgado retrospective was interesting, whilst the temporary exhibition on Nikias Skapinakis could have been better. Lacking were information on individual works (including artist names) and English language materials and signage.

  • 3/5 Alexander De O. 1 year ago on Google
    The quality of the pieces never fail to astound but the curation of the pieces leaves more to be desired. From some name tags seemingly being placed at random, to pieces that are hung slightly too low or the lighting being a mixture between cool and warm due to the differences between the overall lighting and the spots for the pieces. I believe they need to fine tune a few things and then the space would take on another feel and atmosphere but at the moment the space itself feels like it drains you and leaves you confused.

  • 1/5 Wolfgang S. 1 year ago on Google
    Horrible - save your money and time - this is not worth a “continental” as George Washington would say. Art pieces drawn on toilet paper did not make it. The film that was being shown - kept repeating and repeating the same scenes. Am I missing something or are these pieces speaking in an alien language.!!! Finally, I have never been to a museum worldwide that closes for an hour for lunch! Please NMCA rethink what you are trying to exhibit and then I would be happy to give you more of a positive review. Obrigado!


Call +351 21 343 2148 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible toilet
    • ✗ Wheelchair-accessible car park
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible entrance

Trends



Last updated:

Similar Museums nearby

MAAT image
1
MAAT
Museum
Museum in an old riverside power station, with renewable energy & electrical phenomena exhibits.
4.30 (21.1K reviews)
Carmo Convent image
2
Carmo Convent
Archaeological museum
Ruined Gothic church destroyed by an earthquake in 1755, with an evocative roofless nave & museum.
4.50 (16.9K reviews)
Calouste Gulbenkian Museum image
3
Calouste Gulbenkian Museum
Art museum
Displays of art from Greek to Roman & Asian to European, plus gardens, shop & restaurant.
4.70 (14.9K reviews)
Museu de Marinha image
4
Museu de Marinha
Museum
Seagoing history with collections of model ships, maritime artifacts & ornate 18th-century barges.
4.50 (11.2K reviews)
National Coach Museum image
5
National Coach Museum
Museum
Ornate, 16th–19th century royal carriages displayed in an opulent, 18th-century palace riding arena.
4.60 (8.9K reviews)
Last updated:
()