Soares dos Reis National Museum

The Soares dos Reis National Museum in Porto is Portugal's oldest national museum, housed in the Palácio dos Carrancas, a grand neoclassical palace that once served as a residence for the royal family, including King João VI during the Napoleonic invasions. The museum takes its name from António Soares dos Reis, the celebrated nineteenth-century Portuguese sculptor whose masterwork, O Desterrado (The Exile), is among the most recognised pieces in the collection.

The permanent collection spans Portuguese painting and sculpture from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, alongside decorative arts including gold and silverwork, ceramics, glassware, and furniture that trace the country's artistic heritage across several centuries. The palace itself, set within formal gardens in the Massarelos district, is a significant part of the experience, its architecture and interiors lending weight to the works displayed within. Entry tickets are available for visitors wishing to explore the collection at their own pace.