Museums and Palaces

Opened in 2008 in a unique building on Lisbon's riverfront, the Museu do Oriente presents itself as a multicultural museum that preserves, in all its aspects, the tangible and intangible heritage of various Asian countries, through the testimonies of two collections, Portuguese Presence in Asia and Kwok On.

The first, alluding to the Portuguese presence in Asia, is composed of more than two thousand artistic and documentary objects, the result of an acquisition policy carried out by the Fundação Oriente since its constitution, together with the national and international art markets. It includes several exceptional pieces, notably Chinese and Japanese screens from the 17th and 18th centuries, rare Namban art pieces, emblazoned porcelain from the East India Company for the Portuguese market, and porcelain decorated with Western themes for export to the European market, as well as a significant collection related to the cultures of the peoples of Timor.

The second major collection is grouped under the name Kwok On Collection. A result of a donation from the Musée Kwok On in Paris, it consists of more than 15,000 examples of the performing arts of the Asian continent and the narrative, religious, and ritual heritage that these arts express. It documents the main Asian religions, their ritual manifestations, their variants and pantheons, from India to Japan, from Vietnam to China, from Indonesia to Thailand, including Chinese folk religion, Hinduism, Shintoism, Buddhism and Islam. An authentic kaleidoscope of legends, stories and myths, values ​​and beliefs that define and transmit Asian identities. The collection features notable collections of costumes, puppets, masks, games, musical instruments, prints and paintings, posters, statuettes and countless ritual objects. Given its geographical scope, the Kwok On Collection is considered one of the best of its kind on a European scale. It includes artifacts of remarkable quality and great visual impact. Although many of these items originate from ancient times, some unique and rare even among major similar museums, the collection stands out for documenting social and cultural practices that are still current.

Throughout the year, the Museum of the Orient organizes a complementary program of shows, courses, and workshops for all ages, welcoming artists, academics, curators, and projects that reflect on Asia, its multiple realities and identities, in a cross-cutting way. We invite everyone to visit this iconic cultural space in Lisbon. Visit us!