Attraction
Jerónimos Monastery
Begun in 1501 for King Manuel I, this Manueline monastery in Belém holds the tombs of Vasco da Gama and Luís de Camões and is a…
MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology)
The EDP Foundation's riverside museum pairs Amanda Levete's curved 2016 building with the red-brick Tejo Power Station for exhibitions of art, architecture and technology.
At a glance
- Type
- Contemporary art museum
- Area
- Belém, Lisbon, Portugal
- Opening
- Open 6 days a week (closed Tuesday) · 10:00–19:00
- Official site
- maat.pt
Good to know
- Riverside building
- Tejo Power Station
- Shop
Why we recommend it
MAAT, the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, opened in October 2016 on the riverfront between Cais do Sodré and Belém. It is run by the EDP Foundation, the cultural arm of Portugal's main energy company, and brings together two very different buildings. One is the Tejo Power Station, a red-brick thermoelectric plant from the early twentieth century and one of the country's most notable pieces of industrial architecture. The other is a new, low building by the British architect Amanda Levete that curves along the water's edge.
The new building is clad in white three-dimensional ceramic tiles that catch the changing light off the Tagus. Its shape slopes down towards the river, and visitors can walk up and over it for a broad view of the water and the 25 de Abril Bridge, which is one of the easiest free views in Belém. Inside, a large oval gallery and smaller rooms host temporary exhibitions that range across contemporary art, architecture, design and technology, often with international artists.
The Tejo Power Station houses further exhibitions and keeps much of its original machinery in place. Boilers, turbines, control panels and coal-handling equipment remain inside the halls, and the displays explain how electricity was produced here for Lisbon in the last century. It is an unusual mix: a contemporary art show in one building and an industrial heritage visit in the other.
MAAT opens Wednesday to Monday from 10:00 to 19:00 and is closed on Tuesdays, as well as on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December, and from 15:00 on 24 and 31 December. Tickets can cover one building or both. Allow around two hours if you want to see everything. The exhibitions change through the year, so check the programme before you go to see what is on. The site is flat and the new building is accessible.
The museum is about a twenty-minute walk east of the Jerónimos Monastery along the riverside, or a short walk from the Belém train station. Tram 15E stops on the main road behind it, across the railway footbridge. The riverside path continues west towards the Padrão dos Descobrimentos and Belém Tower, so MAAT works well as the first or last stop of a day in Belém.
MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology) FAQs
When is MAAT open?
Wednesday to Monday from 10:00 to 19:00. It is closed on Tuesdays.
What is the Tejo Power Station?
It is the former thermoelectric plant next to the new building, now part of MAAT, where much of the original machinery is on display.
Can you walk on the roof?
The new building slopes towards the river, and visitors can walk over it for views of the Tagus and the 25 de Abril Bridge.
Who designed the new building?
The British architect Amanda Levete, through her practice AL_A.
How long should you allow?
About two hours to see the exhibitions in both buildings.
How do you get to MAAT?
Take a Cascais line train to Belém or tram 15E, then cross to the riverside, or walk along the river from the Jerónimos Monastery.
Which days is MAAT closed?
Tuesdays, 1 January, 1 May and 25 December, and from 15:00 on 24 and 31 December.
Who runs MAAT?
The EDP Foundation, the cultural foundation of the Portuguese energy company EDP.