Cultural Heritage
At the heart of Lisbon, the National Museum of Contemporary Art - Museu do Chiado is located in the ancient Convent of St. Francis. Founded in 1911, it was the result of the division of the former National Museum of Fine Arts, which also originated the Ancient Art National Museum.
In August 1988, due to a harrowing fire the art works were forced to be removed from the Museum of Contemporary Art as a precautionary measure, and the fate of the installations was reevaluated afterwards.
The museum reopened on July 12th 1994, after a renovation project sponsored by the French government and the work of a team coordinated by art historian Raquel Henriques da Silva.
In order to better represent the second half of the twentieth century, the policy of new acquisitions was focused on this period, as well as on other artistic genres, namely in video and photography. Progressively, the museum earned its place in the cultural scene in Lisbon.
The atrium of the museum welcomes visitors, the upper room displays a fascinating sculpture collection.
The Museum also includes other areas such as: the Oven Room (originally, Sala dos Fornos), the terrace with a magnificent view over Lisboa and particularly over the Tagus river; two "L" shaped joined galleries; an experimental space, where natural and artificial light alternates; the library and the Drawing Room (Gabinete dos Desenhos). The cafeteria terrace and outdoor garden display bronze sculptures, dating from the 19th and 20th centuries.
