The MACAM museum, housed in an 18th-century palace in Lisbon
This contemporary art museum is housed in a palace (the Palácio dos Condes da Ribeira Grande) built in 1701 by a nobleman known as the Marquis of Nisa, a relative of explorer Vasco da Gama. For a short period, in the late 1800s, it was home to playwright João da Câmara, who was the first Portuguese author to be nominated for the Nobel Prize in literature. Throughout the 20th century it was a high school, the Liceu Rainha Dona Amélia, which closed in 2002.
The permanent exhibition of the MACAM
Major renovations starting in 2020 converted it into a museum and a hotel. The museum opened in 2025 and presents contemporary art amassed by collector Armando Martins. The collection includes works by major Portuguese artists like Paula Rego, Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso, Júlio Pomar, and Julião Sarmento, but there are also a few international names. Some pieces are also displayed in the luxury hotel.
There are four galleries -- the first two for the permanent exhibition, and the other two, in a modern annex across the garden, for temporary exhibitions.
Also shared by the museum and the hotel are a restaurant, a café, a small auditorium, and a former chapel that was turned into a bar that also hosts cultural events.
The chapel in the MACAM
Rua da Junqueira, 66, Belém
macam.pt
Admission and Tickets to the MACAM Museum
A ticket to both exhibitions (permanent and temporary) is €15.00. For just the permanent exhibition it's €8.00, for just the temporary exhibitions it’s €6.00. There’s a 20% discount with the Lisboa Card. It's free on the first Sunday of each month, between 10am and 2pm.
It's closed on Tuesdays
Attractions Nearby
The MACAM is found on the main road to the district of Belém, where there are two other contemporary art museums – the MAAT and the MAC/CCB Museum – in addition to some of Lisbon’s top tourist attractions, like the Jerónimos Monastery, the Belém Tower, the Discoveries Monument, and the Coaches Museum.
