Lisbon - Museum of Decorative Arts Museu-Escola de Artes Decorativas

The 17th C. former city palace of the Count of Azurara stands on the Largo das Portas do Sol and currently houses the Museum of Decorative Art. The banker Ricardo do Espirito Santo Silva, whose family was one of the richest in Portugal, acquired the palace in 1947 and donated his collection to be the museum.

Portugal's most important furniture collection can be viewed here during a guided tour.

Valuable wooden Portuguese, French and English furniture dating from the 16th to the 19th C. are presented in suitable surroundings. Bedrooms, dining rooms, function rooms, music rooms and dressing rooms from different eras have been reconstructed in their original forms here. The furniture is completed by wall hangings, silver work, porcelain, ceramics, collections of old books as well as some original tiling and ceiling paintings.

Part of the collection includes furnishings belonging to José I and his wife Maria: a bedroom and a children's room, both retained in the Manueline style. One of José I's coaches stands in the entrance hall. The museum contains a training workshop for craft workers, which is likewise affiliated to the foundation. Bookbinders, gilders and cabinet makers are trained here in traditional techniques.