Our Visit to Lisbon’s National Tile Museum & The Mistake We Made
One of the highlights of our time in Lisbon was our visit to the National Tile Museum (Museu Nacional do Azulejo). Ranked as #8 out of 18 things to do in Lisbon we knew we had to add it to our itinerary, we just wished we would have visited the museum earlier in our trip to Portugal. The ceramic tiles adorn the facades of buildings all over town… they’re used as flooring and as ceiling decoration as well. Knowing some of the history behind the designs and manufacturing processes likely would have helped us to appreciate more of what we saw while walking around town.
Why you should go there first when you visit Lisbon
Don’t make our mistake and save this museum for one of the last places you’ll visit while in Lisbon. The Museu Nacional do Azulejo is one of the most important of the national museums and the only one that truly helps visitors understand the azulejo (tile) found throughout the city. Its collections allow a journey through the history of tile, from 15th century till present days. Make sure it’s one of the first places you visit when in Lisbon.
What are some highlights of Lisbon’s National Tile Museum
What can we say… it’s the tiles… and the building, oh and the audio guide! The audio guide is very helpful and provides a tremendous amount of information
How much time do you need to visit Lisbon’s National Tile Museum
We didn’t rush it; we toured the museum in about 2 hours – fully utilizing the audio guide, and taking a bit of extra time to take in each display.
Pro Tip: Entrance to the National Tile Museum is free with the ‘Lisboa Card’
👋 New Here? We’re Jeff and Sandra, American expats, living abroad, on a budget, one country at at time. Most days, we’re just doing what we’ve always done— making ourselves a home, working on projects, cooking, and running errands, wherever home might be at the moment. Sometimes that means checking out local activities and visiting museums and historical sites; other times, it means finding out which local restaurant has the best pizza or empanadas and which grocery store sells peanut butter.
This life isn’t always glamorous; but it’s ours—and we’re here to share with you what we learn.
How to get to Lisbon’s National Tile Museum
- We were staying in the area called Alcantara, and it was a quick walk up the block to catch the 742 bus which runs right into the Madre Deus area. The stop was just a few blocks from the museum.
- Grab a bus! The museum is about a mile from Santa Apolonia station; several bus routes run past the Santa Apolonia station and near the tile museum.
- Since Lisbon is essentially made of ups and down unless you stay within about a quarter mile of the river; we highly recommend getting a transit pass (or the Lisboa card if you want to use some of the discounted entry fees). We found the transit system to be very easy to navigate; both the busses and the trams.
Quick Facts
- Open: Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 14:00 to 18:00. Last entry at 17:30. Museum closes for lunch 13:00 and 14:00.
- Closed: Monday, January 1st, Easter Sunday, May 1st, June 13th, December 25th
- Admission is Free with the Lisboa Card
Where can I get more information about Lisbon’s National Tile Museum
The official museum website has been under renovation for over a year now (updated January 2025) so the best resource for hours of operation, temporary exhibits and ticket prices will be at https://www.visitlisboa.com/en/places/national-tile-museum
Explore the National Tile Museum Through Our Eyes
Long version of our Top things to do in Lisbon – National Tile Museum – Museu Nacional do Azulejo – Portugal
Short version of our Things to do in Lisbon Portugal – Museu Nacional do Azulejo – National Tile Museum
Museum in a Minute Video
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