Lisbon - Chiado Museum Museu do Chiado

Following complete refurbishment the Museum of Contemporary Art (Museu de Arte Contemporânea) was reopened in 1994 under the name Museu do Chiado. Somewhat remote from the city's cultural life, the museum had closed its doors in 1987. After the fire in the Chiado quarter in 1988 the French government agreed to finance the renovation and enlargement of the museum.

Under the supervision of the internationally renowned architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte (born 1948), who was also responsible for one of the museum wings of the Louvre in Paris, an extremely striking building was produced, a happy combination of old and new architectural features.

The Museu de Arte Contemporânea evolved from a former state owned museum which was divided in 1911 into the Museum of (then) Contemporary Art and the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga. At the time of this division all Portuguese works of art created after 1850 were moved from the museum in the Rua das Janelas Verdes into the rooms of a former monastery, where the Biblioteca Nacional was then situated, and where the art college (Academia das Belas Artes) was accommodated. Works by Portuguese artists on view in the Chiado Museum date from 1850 to 1950.

Modern paintings are exhibited by the Centro de Arte Moderna in the Fundaçao Calouste Gulbenkian. Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro, the brother of the well known caricaturist and potter was the first director of the museum. He also belonged to the "Grupo do Leao" (Group of Lions), which consisted of the major artists of the time. The works of many members of this circle are on view in the museum.

The museum also possesses a small international art collection, including mainly drawings by Rodin and French sculptures dating from C. 1900.