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.
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 has a wealth of information and is very helpful understanding what you are looking at
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’
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 about the Tile Museum
- 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
So, what mistake did we make?
We waited until after we had been in Lisbon for a few weeks… Don’t 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.
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
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