Is the Museu Nacional do Azulejo open to visitors right now?

Museu Nacional do Azulejo, Lisbon

Museum in Lisbon

Convento da Madre de Deus Lisboa Portugal

CC BY-SA 2.0 / Vitor Oliveira

Step into the Museu Nacional do Azulejo and you walk straight into the visual language of Portugal. Housed inside the former Madre de Deus Convent, this museum traces the story of azulejos from their Moorish-influenced beginnings to bold contemporary pieces, all set against baroque chapels and peaceful cloisters. It feels part gallery, part time capsule, and part church, with every corridor and courtyard framed by pattern and colour. For anyone who has fallen for Lisbon's tiled facades and metro stations, this is one of the best places to visit in Lisbon to understand how tiles became such a defining part of the city's identity.

Despite its slightly out-of-the-way location, a visit here feels wonderfully immersive. You move from small fragments and pattern studies to huge story-telling panels, including the famous panorama of Lisbon before the 1755 earthquake, spotting vanished palaces and familiar churches along the way. Between rooms, you step back onto 16th-century convent stone and into a lavish, gold-encrusted church where tiles and painting blend together. It is both a deep dive into Portuguese design and a calm, atmospheric retreat from the busy centre, often visited on walking tours of Lisbon for those who want a more local, less touristy museum experience.

History and Significance of Museu Nacional do Azulejo
Things to See and Do in Museu Nacional do Azulejo
How to Get to Museu Nacional do Azulejo
Practical Tips on Visiting Museu Nacional do Azulejo
Where to Stay close to Museu Nacional do Azulejo
Is Museu Nacional do Azulejo Worth Visiting?
FAQs for Visiting Museu Nacional do Azulejo
Nearby Attractions to Museu Nacional do Azulejo

History and Significance of Museu Nacional do Azulejo

The Museu Nacional do Azulejo began life long before it became a museum. Its home, the Convent of Madre de Deus, was founded in 1509 by Queen Leonor as a religious house on the eastern edge of Lisbon, and over the centuries it was expanded with a mannerist cloister, richly decorated church, and chapels lined with painted wood, tiles, and gilded carvings. When the convent's religious function waned, its historic fabric and surviving tiles made it a natural candidate for preservation and, eventually, for reimagining as a museum devoted to this uniquely Portuguese art form.

A dedicated tile collection really began to take shape in the mid-20th century, when tiles from various buildings around Portugal were brought here for safekeeping and study. In 1965 the National Tile Museum was formally established, later gaining full national museum status in 1980, recognising azulejos as a key part of the country’s artistic and architectural heritage. The museum’s mission is not just to display beautiful panels, but to explain the materials, techniques, and cultural influences that shaped them over five centuries.

Today, the Museu Nacional do Azulejo is considered one of the most important ceramic collections in the world, covering everything from early Hispano-Moresque pieces and Renaissance religious scenes to exuberant baroque story panels and experimental 20th- and 21st-century works. Its galleries, cloisters, and chapels show how tiles moved from church walls to palaces, streets, and even modern social housing, turning Lisbon itself into a kind of open-air extension of the museum. In doing so, it underlines just how deeply azulejos are woven into Portugal's visual identity and everyday life.

Things to See and Do in Museu Nacional do Azulejo

Start your visit on the ground floor, where the museum explains how azulejos are made: clay, glazes, pigments, and kiln firing. This technical section is surprisingly engaging and gives you a fresh appreciation for the precision involved, especially when you realise that painters work without seeing the final colour outcome until after firing. From there, you follow a roughly chronological route, watching designs evolve from geometric Moorish motifs to Renaissance narrative panels and lush baroque compositions.

One unmissable highlight is the vast, 23-metre-long panel “Panoramic View of Lisbon,” created around 1700 and showing the city in extraordinary detail before the 1755 earthquake reshaped it forever. You can pick out the castle, churches, riverside warehouses, and long-lost convents, making it feel like an early photographic panorama rendered entirely in blue and white. Nearby, look for the famous “Our Lady of Life” altarpiece and the whimsical “Chicken's Wedding” panel, where monkeys in human dress and a lone chicken in a carriage create a satirical, almost surreal scene.

Beyond the tiles themselves, take time to explore the convent's architectural gems. The church is a baroque jewel box of gilded woodwork, painted ceilings, and tile dadoes, while the cloister wraps you in patterned walls and gentle light, making it a great place to pause between galleries. Upstairs, more recent and contemporary azulejos show how artists continue to reinvent the medium today, using bold colours, abstract forms, and social themes. With its blend of historic convent spaces and centuries of tile art, the museum is one of the top attractions in Lisbon for anyone interested in design, urban history, or simply beautiful, photogenic interiors.

How to Get to Museu Nacional do Azulejo

The Museu Nacional do Azulejo sits in the Xabregas/Marvila area, east of central Lisbon and just north of the Tagus. The nearest airport is Humberto Delgado Airport (Lisbon Airport), around 7-8 km from the city centre and well connected by metro, bus, and taxis. For the best deals and a seamless booking experience, check out these flights to Lisbon on Booking.com. From the airport you can head first into the city (Baixa, Alfama, or Santa Apolónia area) and then reach the museum by bus, taxi, or rideshare.

If you are travelling by train, Lisbon’s main long-distance hub is Gare do Oriente, while Santa Apolónia station is the closest central station to the museum, set along the riverfront.Train schedules and bookings can be found on Omio. From either station you can take a short taxi ride or use local buses that run along Avenida Infante Dom Henrique and Rua Madre de Deus. Some visitors also walk from Santa Apolónia through the Alfama backstreets and riverside, turning the journey into a mini-neighbourhood exploration before reaching the museum.

Reaching the museum by public transport within Lisbon is straightforward, even though there is no metro station right on the doorstep. Several city bus lines stop near Rua da Madre de Deus, including routes that link to Baixa, Alfama, and the Parque das Nações area, so you can easily fold a visit into a wider day of sightseeing. Taxis and rideshares are plentiful and relatively affordable in Lisbon, and drivers generally know the museum well.

If you are driving, you can follow the riverside road east from central Lisbon or use the city's ring roads to drop down towards Xabregas, with on-street parking in the surrounding neighbourhood and some paid options nearby.If you are looking to rent a car in Portugal I recommend having a look at Discover Cars, first, as they compare prices and review multiple car rental agencies for you. Because streets can be narrow and busy at peak times, it is usually easier to park once and continue on foot for the last few hundred metres.

Practical Tips on Visiting Museu Nacional do Azulejo

Suggested tips: Check the official website before you go, as the museum is undergoing major renovation works and has been temporarily closed to the public, with reopening linked to a long-term restoration schedule under Portugal’s Recovery and Resilience Plan.
Best time to visit: When open, mornings between Tuesday and Friday tend to be quieter than weekends; visiting early lets you enjoy the cloister and big tile panels before groups arrive, and combining it with nearby Alfama makes this spot one of the best places to see in Lisbon.
Entrance fee: Adults: €5.00
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–18:00
Official website: https://www.museudoazulejo.pt/
How long to spend: Allow at least 2-3 hours to explore the permanent collection, church, cloister, and café; tile lovers and photographers could easily spend longer.
Accessibility: The historic convent layout means there are stairs and level changes; some areas are accessible by lift and ramps, but visitors with limited mobility should check up-to-date accessibility information in advance.
Facilities: When operational, the museum offers a café/restaurant in the former refectory, a pleasant garden courtyard, shop, restrooms, cloakroom, and occasional educational spaces and temporary exhibition rooms.
Photography tip: Natural light in the cloister and higher floors can be beautiful but contrasty; visit earlier in the day for softer light on the tiles and try shooting close-ups of patterns as well as wide angles that show the church interiors.
Guided tours: Check the museum or local tour operators for guided visits in English; joining a specialist tile or architecture tour can deepen your understanding of the iconography and techniques behind each panel.
Nearby food options: Besides the on-site café (when open), look to the riverside and Alfama districts for simple tascas, petisqueira-style small-plate spots, and wine bars where you can continue the day with typical Lisbon flavours.

Where to Stay close to Museu Nacional do Azulejo

Staying near the Museu Nacional do Azulejo puts you just outside the busiest tourist core, with easy access to Alfama, the riverfront, and bus routes along Avenida Infante Dom Henrique. For a stylish riverside base within a short drive or taxi of the museum, consider The Editory Riverside Santa Apolónia Hotel, set inside the beautifully restored Santa Apolónia station building with Tagus views and excellent transport connections. If you prefer to be right in atmospheric Alfama but still within easy reach of the museum by bus or short taxi ride, Santiago de Alfama - Boutique Hotel offers elegant rooms in a historic townhouse, cobbled streets on the doorstep, and plenty of characterful restaurants nearby.

For travellers who like a more contemporary city vibe with good value and straightforward access by bus or taxi, Czar Lisbon Hotel on Avenida Almirante Reis is a solid option, giving you easy links both into Baixa and out towards the museum's riverside neighbourhood. From any of these bases, you can weave a museum visit into days spent wandering Alfama, the Baixa, and the riverside promenade.

Is Museu Nacional do Azulejo Worth Visiting?

If you are at all interested in art, architecture, or the visual personality of Lisbon, the answer is a definite yes. The museum offers a clear, beautifully curated story of how azulejos evolved, and seeing them in the context of an old convent church and cloister adds a layer of atmosphere that you simply do not get from street facades alone. It is also a refreshing change of pace from the more crowded central museums and viewpoints, giving you time and space to linger over the details.

That said, it is essential to check the status of the ongoing renovation works before planning a dedicated trip here, as the museum has been closed to the public and is scheduled to remain under construction until at least mid-2026. If your visit falls after reopening, prioritise the Museu Nacional do Azulejo as a key stop in Lisbon; if not, you can still enjoy the city's tile heritage through its streets, churches, and metro stations, using the museum's story as inspiration for what you are seeing outdoors.

What Other Travellers Say...

Reviews Summary

4.6 (17,199)

National Tile Museum at R. Me. Deus 4, Lisboa, is housed in a magnificent former monastery with a spectacular chapel and cloister; inside you can wander extensive displays of decorative azulejo tiles and mosaics that trace Portugal’s artistic and cultural themes, enjoy peaceful gardens, a café, restaurant and gift shop, and take in impressive views from the upper floors — visitors say the exhibits are well organized with clear English explanations, admission is straightforward on site, and plan to spend at least an hour for a highly recommended, unique experience.

Betty Rice

2 weeks ago

"Missed this great museum the first time I was in Lisbon, so promised myself a visit if I ever returned, and this summer I did. Tiles and mosaics areso important to the culture of Portugal, so to learn some of the history and wander the beautiful gardens with a small cafe here is a real treat. 10/10 worth a visit...."

See More See Less

Ivan S

a month ago

"I really enjoyed exploring the incredible collection of tiles, showcasing Portugal’s artistry through the centuries. The exhibits are well-organizedwith clear English explanations, and the building itself is stu ing—especially the views from the upper floors. It’s peaceful, not crowded, and easy to walk through at your own pace. No wait to enter, and tickets can be bought right on site. Highly recommend spending a couple of hours here if you love history, art, or design!..."

See More See Less

Murillo Pontual

2 months ago

"The Museu dos Azulejos in Lisbon is a hidden gem. It beautifully showcases Portugal’s history and culture through an incredible collection ofhand-crafted tiles. The museum also features stu ing sacred art, and the building itself is unbelievably gorgeous — truly a work of art on its own. Don’t miss the large tile panel that depicts Lisbon before the Great Earthquake — it’s absolutely fascinating. I highly recommend visiting this museum; it’s one of the most unique and enriching experiences in the city...."

See More See Less

FAQs for Visiting Museu Nacional do Azulejo

At the moment the museum is closed for extensive renovation and construction works, with reopening planned after these works finish; always check the official website shortly before your trip for the latest status, hours, and ticket details.

Nearby Attractions to Museu Nacional do Azulejo

Alfama District - Lisbon’s oldest neighbourhood, a maze of lanes, viewpoints, and fado bars climbing the hill from the river.
Castelo de São Jorge - Hilltop castle and fortress with sweeping views over the city and the Tagus, plus layers of Moorish and medieval history.
Lisbon Cathedral (Sé de Lisboa) - The city's sturdy Romanesque cathedral, later reworked in Gothic and baroque styles, anchoring the lower part of Alfama.
Museu do Fado - A compact, engaging museum dedicated to Lisbon’s iconic musical tradition, with audio stations and historic recordings.
Praça do Comércio and Baixa - The grand riverside square and grid of 18th-century streets rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake, lined with cafés, shops, and historic buildings.

The Museu Nacional do Azulejo appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Lisbon!

Moira & Andy

Hey! We're Moira & Andy. From hiking the Camino to trips around Europe in Bert our campervan — we've been traveling together since retirement in 2020!

Read our full story here

This website uses affiliate links which may earn a commission at no additional cost to you!