Museum of Lisbon – Santo António

Museum of Lisbon – Saint Anthony

Next to the Church of Santo António, a stone's throw from the Cathedral, this branch of the Museum of Lisbon introduces the city's patron saint, highlighting his relationship with Lisbon, where he was born and lived until the age of 20. Heir to the former Museu Antoniano, proposed by the Administrative Commission of Lisbon City Council in 1911 and created in 1962, it has been part of the Museum of Lisbon since 2015, alongside the Palácio Pimenta, the Roman Theatre, the Casa dos Bicos and the Torreão Poente. The exhibition tells the story of Saint Anthony and how his image was built up over the centuries until he became one of the most popular saints in the world, and recalls that the neighbouring church, raised on the spot traditionally held to be his birthplace, reveals a special relationship with the city's administration. Less familiar aspects of Antonian devotion are also covered, such as the saint's posthumous military career, the Afro-Brazilian cults associated with him and the distinctive forms his cult takes in Portugal and in the countries evangelised by the Portuguese, as well as his patronage of marriages and lost objects. The route ends with the festivities that mark the calendar of the popular saints' festivals, from the procession to the weddings, street parties and marches. Alongside pieces from the museum's own collection are works from public and private collections, renewed periodically.

Located at: Museu de Lisboa
Address: Largo de Santo António da Sé, 22, 1100-499 Lisboa
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10:00-18:00, last entry 17:30 (19 May to 30 June until 20:00); closed on Mondays, 1 Jan, 1 May, 24, 25 and 31 Dec
Phone: +351 218 860 447
Coordinates: 38.7101942, -9.133912
Buses: 737, 10B, 711, 746, 759, 783, 736, 760, 728, 732
Tram: 12E, 28E, 15E, 25E
Metro: Terreiro do Paço (Blue), Baixa-Chiado (Blue, Green)
Train: Sintra Line, Rossio Station
Boat: Terreiro do Paço River Station
Opened: 1962 (64 years)