The National Museum of Ancient Art (Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga)
is located near Santos o Velho and has a wonderful view over
the Tagus river. More commonly known as Janelas Verdes Museum,
this name came from the street where it's located, it was constructed
in 1884 to hold and show the many pieces of art coming from monasteries
and churches that had became State property. The museum's collection
includes a wide variety of European art, including paintings,
sculpture, jewellery, furniture, ceramics, textiles and other
decorative arts representing the artistic forms from the Middle-Ages
to the 20th century. It also shows a remarkable collection of
ornamental objects made in Africa, India, China and Japan. The
National Museum of Ancient Art has become an essential reference
to those who want to know and understand Portuguese art through
the years. The museum is open from Tuesdays to Sundays and closed
on Mondays and some national holidays. Not the most famous museum
in Portugal, but the diversity of its contents make it a fantastic
place to visit and a name well worth adding to any tourists list
of places to see.
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