The museum occupies part of a former convent
It’s hidden on a second floor, on a quiet street, so this geological museum’s extraordinary collection remains a secret.
A 20-million-year-old crocodile found in Lisbon
Displayed over four halls of a former convent, it has over 4000 fossils, rocks and minerals, many of them unique and rare pieces, discovered since the 19th century in Portugal and abroad.
A dinossaur footprint in the museum
Among the treasures are fossils of the world’s oldest snakes from 150 million years ago, mammals from the Jurassic period, the head of a gigantic 20-million-year-old crocodile found in Lisbon’s Chelas district, dinosaur legs and footprints, tools and objects used by prehistoric humans, and minerals found in Portuguese mines and in other countries.
A dinossaur skeleton
It’s a museum that attracts many scholars but very few tourists. However, it’s very much worth visiting, not just to learn about 100 million years of the planet’s history, but also for the exhibition space itself, as it maintains the atmosphere and look of a 19th-century museum.
The museum has over 4000 fossils, rocks and minerals
How to Get to the Geological Museum
The museum is about a 15-minute walk from the Rato metro station (last stop of the yellow line) and less than 10 minutes from the “Rua Escola Politécnica” stop of tram 24, which departs from Praça Luís de Camões in Chiado.
You may ride the metro and the tram (and the city’s buses, funiculars and trains) for free with the Lisboa Card.
Rua da Academia das Ciências, 19, Príncipe Real
Admission and Tickets to the Geological Museum
It’s free on the first Saturday of the month, and €5.00 at other times. It’s not included in the Lisboa Card.
It’s closed on Sundays.
Attractions Nearby
The Botanical Garden and Jardim do Príncipe Real are both about a 10-minute walk away, and Convento dos Cardaes about 5 minutes.
