The Royal Treasure Museum opens up to the public as the newest addition to the charming city of Lisbon. This new attraction is another example of Lisbon’s artistic and cultural wealth.
Located in the Palácio Nacional da Ajuda, The Royal Treasure Museum exhibits for the first time a permanent display of the Crown jewels and pieces of Portuguese royal goldsmithery. The new cultural equipment (a collection of more than one thousand pieces) aims to project Lisbon as an increasingly attractive destination for residents and visitors from all over the world.
The unique collection of priceless heritage value on display at the Royal Treasure Museum is made up of rare and valuable jewels, insignias and decorations, coins, and pieces of civil and religious goldsmithery, such as the crown, D. Mariana’s emerald bowl, the second largest gold nugget in the world, or the tobacco box ordered by D. José from the King of France’s goldsmith in the 18th century, in which Louis XV’s mistress did not want to let leave Paris. These symbols of power and personal luxury objects represent one of the world’s most important collections due to their size, rarity, and quality, and tells the story of Portugal as experienced from the Palácio Nacional da Ajuda, the home of the last kings of Portugal.
The Royal Treasure Museum’s collection is housed in one of the largest vaults in the world (40 meters long, 10 meters wide and 10 meters high), including three floors, equipped with sophisticated security and video surveillance equipment, 5-ton armored doors, temperature and humidity-controlled vitrines, and bulletproof glass.
AN EXHIBITION WITH 11 NUCLEI, INTEGRATED IN 3 FLOORS OF THE CAIXA FORTE
The permanent exhibition of the Royal Treasure Museum was designed in 11 nuclei, in an in-depth approach to the origin and course of the pieces that compose them.
The first core of the exhibition is called Brazil’s Gold and Diamonds where a sample of rough specimens of the metals and gems that symbolize two important monopolies of the Crown: the extraction of gold and diamonds in Brazil is presented.
In the second nucleus, the selected part of the set of coins and medals of the Crown, widely used by the royal houses as instruments and supports of propaganda, prestige and power, is exhibited.
In the third nucleus are presented the Jewels that compose the Palácio Nacional da Ajuda collection.
The fourth section is dedicated to the Honorific Orders while the fifth core presents the Royal Insignias: Ritual Objects of the Monarchy.
The sixth core is dedicated to objects of civil use in carved silver from different production centers and the seventh nucleus refers to the former Private Collections of King Fernando II and his son, King Luís I.
The eighth core is devoted to Diplomatic Offerings arising from diplomacy over the centuries. The religious ceremonies are evoked in the ninth nucleus dedicated to the Royal Chapel, with a selection of liturgical implements and vestments from the many that formerly belonged to the Crown, the tenth nucleus is dedicated to the Baixela Germain and the last section “ Journeys through the Royal ” aims to show the mobility of the treasure that was usually close to the king and accompanied him in his glory and solemn ceremonies such as jewellery, textiles, sumptuous tableware and other precious materials.
USEFUL INFORMATION
During the summer, the museum is open every day from 10 am to 7 pm, and until 6 pm in the winter. Admission prices for youth (7 to 24 years old) and senior visitors (over 65 years old) are €7, adults (25 to 64 years old) are €10, and children (0 to 6 years old) along with Lisboa Card Holders have free admission. Family tickets are also available (2 adults and 2 youngsters) for €32.
