The Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga (MNAA, National Museum of Ancient Art) in Lisbon will reopen its doors on 21 November, the Minister of Culture, Margarida Balseiro Lopes, announced in parliament. The museum had been closed since 29 September 2025 for works funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan.
The €8.5 million went towards the conservation and improvement of the north façade, the rehabilitation and remodelling of the roofs of the former Alvor Palace wing and the completion of the restoration of the Capela das Albertas.
Founded in 1884, the MNAA holds around 40,000 pieces, from the Middle Ages to the 19th century, and houses the largest number of works classified as national treasures. Highlights include the Saint Vincent Panels by Nuno Gonçalves, the Belém Monstrance, the Namban screens, Bosch’s “The Temptations of Saint Anthony” and Dürer’s “Saint Jerome”.
The museum did not stand still during the closure: through the initiative “O MNAA está Aqui” (The MNAA is Here), it took pieces from its collection to museums across mainland Portugal, the Azores and Madeira.
