The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum: One of the Most Significant Lisbon Art Exhibitions

The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum is an art exhibition in Lisbon with a solid collection of European fine art and ancient artworks. It was opened on October 2, 1969, by Calouste Gulbenkian, an Armenian billionaire who donated a priceless collection of works of art from Europe, Asia, and Africa to the Portuguese capital.

While the museum is a cultural attraction, the surrounding park is a bright example of a landscape design with numerous rest zones. The visit here is a great idea for the vacation of all family members. For the Portuguese, the museum art collection in Lisbon is a source of pride, and for tourists, it is a must-see place for day trips from Lisbon to explore the city and country.

The exhibits are brilliant, and each of them deserves special attention. The list of names of artists whose works are exhibited in the museum is overwhelming. In addition to paintings, the Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon also presents decorative items and sculptures from Egypt, Persia, and Greece. 

Here are available rare ancient books and antique furniture from France. The museum complex is on the list of the World's most famous and richest museums. There are also many Art Deco items in the museum: jewelry, a collection of glass, and decorative objects

The collection of exhibits includes more than 6 thousand items with about one thousand on display. The focus of attention is the Lalique part of the collection dating to the 11th-20th centuries. Additionally, there are many medieval items. The collection of medieval books and manuscripts occupies a separate room.

But most of the visitors come here to see the paintings, and it’s the main reason why the museum is one of the brightest cultural attractions of Lisbon. Original canvases by Rembrandt, Rubens, and Van Eyck are presented here. A big part of the collection is made of the paintings of English artists, such as Turner and Gainsborough. Additionally, there is a large collection of impressionists, including paintings by Claude Monet, Renoir, and Degas. And besides the above, there is a huge number of less famous, but no less talented painters.

The museum has a large collection of antique furniture and an even larger collection of gold and silver objects: jewelry, decorative, and for home use. A special place is occupied by the collection of Armenian and Middle Eastern art. 

Some tourists come to the Museu Calouste Gulbenkian to visit one of the Lisbon cultural activities held here. After the visit, it’s highly recommended to walk through the garden which is a well-maintained recreation area with numerous sculptures.