Portugal has a vast collection of museums, including many fascinating local museums. (I was never a “museum person” but I find myself fascinated and delighted every time I visit a small local museum!) On this website, I focus on museums that have prehistoric collections or which are focused on prehistory.
Use the map below to browse or search among the various museums. Highlighted map markers indicate sites that are described on this website. More posts are added as sites get visited. (If you know of a museum that should be added to the map, please let me know!)
Below the map is a list of all the museums on our website …so far!
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Museum of the Southwest Script
Portuguese: Museu da Escrita Sudoeste de Almodôvar (MESA) The characters tease you: they look familiar, and they obviously convey a message. What is it? It’s impossible to say. Someday we may decipher all the symbols, but for now they remain enigmatic, leaving us to wonder at the people who lived here before the Romans. This…
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Museum of Vila do Bispo
In Portuguese: Museu de Vila do Bispo, also known as: Celeiro da História (“The Granary of History”) Come into this restored granary, and walk through the history of the region. From dinosaurs to the modern day, a carefully and artistically designed space guides you through the huge spaces of the old warehouses, teaching you and…
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Archaeological Museum of São Miguel de Odrinhas (MASMO)
Name in Portuguese: Museu Arqueológico de São Miguel de Odrinhas (MASMO) A beautiful museum, built around the ruins of a Roman villa, which houses a vast collection of artefacts. There are inscriptions and relics from the Roman period, as well as relics from more recent eras and others dating back through the prehistoric eras to…
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Abrigo de Lagar Velho
Also known as: Vale de Lapedo Site of archaeological discovery: the Lapedo Child, or Lagar Velho 1. In Portuguese, o Menino do Lapedo or a Criança do Lapedo Walk along the valley floor, enjoying the sunshine and peacefulness of the sparsely populated road. The wind blows through the trees, adding a soft rustling sound to…
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Municipal Museum of Leonel Trindade
Just off the pleasant Jardim da Graça in central Torres Vedras stands the gorgeous convent of Nossa Senhora da Graça. Just to the right of the church and the clock tower, a large blue sign beckons you to visit the Museu Municipal Leonel Trindade. When you drag yourself away from the gorgeous courtyard, you enter…