National Museum of Ancient Art 🇵🇹

Located in Lisbon inside the historic Palace of Janelas Verdes, the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga (MNAA) is one of Portugal's most visited national art museums. Founded in 1884, it houses an incredible collection of over 40,000 items spanning more than a millennium of global creativity from the Middle Ages through the early 19th century. When you visit, you will explore a vast array of paintings, sculptures, goldware, ceramics, textiles, and furniture sourced from Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

Art enthusiasts can marvel at renowned European masterworks, including Hieronymus Bosch's Triptych of the Temptation of St. Anthony, Albrecht Dürer's Saint Jerome in His Study, and pieces by Raphael and Francisco de Zurbarán. You should not miss the famous 15th-century Saint Vincent Panels, a monumental polyptych featuring 60 figures representing late medieval Portuguese society.

Additional treasures include the 16th-century Belém Monstrance, crafted from gold brought back by Vasco da Gama, decorative pieces from the former Portuguese Empire, and an integrated 18th-century Portuguese Baroque chapel in the annexed Santo Alberto convent. Whether you are admiring royal collections or ancient Roman and Egyptian sculptures, MNAA offers a captivating journey through world history.

What to see at National Museum of Ancient Art

• The 15th-century Saint Vincent Panels attributed to Nuno Gonçalves
• Hieronymus Bosch's Triptych of the Temptation of St. Anthony
• The Belém Monstrance crafted from gold brought back by Vasco da Gama
• An incorporated 18th-century Portuguese Baroque chapel in the Santo Alberto annex
• The Coleção de Arte da Expansão featuring art from across the former Portuguese Empire

Visiting tips

Be sure to cross the footbridge into the annexed Santo Alberto convent to step inside its 18th-century Portuguese Baroque chapel.

How long: 2-3 hours · Best time: Morning

How to get there & what’s nearby

National Museum of Ancient Art is easy to reach on Lisbon’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Belém Tower and São Jorge Castle. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Lisbon travel guide.