Soares dos Reis National Museum
About This Museum
Tucked away in the heart of Porto, the Soares dos Reis feels less like a formal institution and more like stepping into the city's own grand drawing-room. It all began back in 1833, making it Portugal's very first public art museum. The collection grew so organically from local treasures and bequests that wandering its halls feels like tracing the artistic lineage of the north itself. You'll find everything from solemn Flemish saints gazing from their canvases to the delicate shimmer of Portuguese silverwork, all held within the elegant walls of the old Carrancas Palace.
Collection Highlights
Don't miss O Desterrado, the poignant marble masterpiece by António Soares dos Reis that gives the museum its name; it captures a profound melancholy you can almost feel. The rooms are filled with remarkable pieces, like the intricate 'Porto Cabinet' inlaid with exotic woods and ivory, and a stunning array of 17th-century Portuguese silver that makes you wonder about the hands that crafted it.
Visitor Information
You'll find it on Rua de D. Manuel 44—it's that stately, pale building you can't miss. Pop in to escape the city bustle for a few hours; it’s a wonderfully quiet refuge where you can truly absorb the art without the crowds.
Architecture & Building
Housed in the former Carrancas Palace, an 18th-century urban residence with all the graceful proportions and understated grandeur typical of late Baroque and Neoclassical noble homes in Porto.
Contact & Location
Address: Rua de Dom Manuel II, Palácio, Cedofeita, Cedofeita, Santo Ildefonso, Sé, Miragaia, São Nicolau e Vitória, Porto, 4050-342, Portugal
Phone: +351 22 339 3770
Website: Visit Website
