Machado de Castro National Museum

The Machado de Castro National Museum is an art museum in Coimbra, Portugal, named in honor of the prominent 18th-century Portuguese sculptor Joaquim Machado de Castro, who was born in the city. It is one of the most important art museums in the country, recognized for its extensive and diverse holdings. The museum opened to the public in 1913 and was included in the State's list of National Museums in 1965. Following a major renovation and expansion from 2006 to 2012, the institution received the Piranesi/Prix de Rome Prize in 2014, an international award highlighting the successful relationship between architectural design and archaeological heritage.

The museum was established in 1913 within the former Bishop's Palace, with António Augusto Gonçalves serving as its first director until 1928. Its collections originated primarily from convents, monasteries, and churches in the Coimbra region that were politically extinct in 1834, as well as from university colleges and bishoprics. Over the years, the museum enriched its holdings through occasional acquisitions and various donations. In 1910, prior to the museum's opening, the palace itself was classified as a National Monument. The institution underwent a significant transformation between 2006 and 2012, closing for an extensive renovation that included the construction of a new building designed by architect Gonçalo Byrne. The renovated museum reopened at the end of 2012, commemorating its centennial with modernized interior spaces.

Among the most significant works in the collection are Gothic wooden sculptures, notably the Christ in the Tomb from the Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha and the Black Christ from the Monastery of Santa Cruz, both carved by unknown authors, frequently in Ançã stone. Renaissance sculpture is highlighted by an Entombment of Christ created by the French sculptor Jean de Rouen (João de Ruão) for the Santa Cruz Monastery, featuring eight life-size figures, and a unique set of terracotta sculptures of the Last Supper created in 1534 by Philippe Hodart for the Santa Cruz Monastery refectory. In the decorative arts, masterpieces of Portuguese jewelry include the 12th-century chalice of D. Gueda Mendes, the treasure of Queen Saint Elisabeth, the Manueline Custody of the Cathedral of Coimbra from 1527, and an 18th-century Custody of the Sacrament. The painting collection features the Triptych of the Passion of Christ by Quentin Metsys, created around 1514 to 1517, and works by artists such as Cristóvão de Figueiredo, Garcia Fernandes, Josefa de Óbidos, André Gonçalves, and Friar Cipriano da Cruz.

The museum complex consists of three interconnected units: the Roman cryptoporticus, the medieval Bishop's Palace, and the modern building. The site originally housed the forum of Aeminium, the Roman name for Coimbra. Dating to the mid-1st century, the cryptoporticus is a monumental, two-storey vaulted underground gallery built to support the Roman forum on the hillside. It remains largely intact and is accessible on the museum's lower levels. The Bishop's Palace was constructed over this ancient forum beginning in the 11th or 12th centuries and was expanded through the 18th century. The palace retains a 12th-century cloister, a Renaissance loggia overlooking the Old Cathedral, a Moorish-style portal, and a Baroque church dedicated to São João de Almedina. The new building, completed during the 2006 to 2012 renovation, integrates contemporary materials with the historic fabric while preserving the visibility of the archaeological remains.

The museum is located in the Sé Nova area of Coimbra, situated down the hill from the University of Coimbra and adjacent to the New Cathedral. It is easily accessible by public transportation. The museum is open Tuesday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., and Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., remaining closed on Mondays, January 1, Easter Sunday, May 1, July 4, and December 24 and 25. General admission is 6 euros, with a reduced 3 euro ticket available exclusively for access to the cryptoporticus. The facilities include a restaurant that serves lunches with a view, as well as information panels, interactive and audiovisual presentations, and items for tactile exploration to accommodate visitors with visual and hearing impairments.