"So, what is this place, exactly? Next to the Jeronimos Monastery, the Berardo Collection Museum is the showstopper of the Belém Cultural Center. The modern and contemporary artworks on display here all belong to José Manuel Rodrigues Berardo, a billionaire entrepreneur and philanthropist. A showstopper, huh? What are we going to see here? There’s only room to showcase 900 of Berardo’s pieces—by more than 500 artists—and on one floor they span Minimalism, Conceptualism, Post-Minimalism, Land Art, and Arte Povera movements, featuring works by such heavyweights as Nan Goldin, Donald Judd, Anish Kapoor, and Sol LeWitt. Another floor examines the 20th-century emergence of everything from Cubism and Surrealism to Neo-Dadaism and Pop Art. Roy Lichtenstein, Pablo Picasso, Marcel Duchamp, and Francis Bacon are all impressively represented. Wow—that's quite a spread. Does the museum host exhibits every now and then, too? Temporary exhibitions complement Berardo’s vision. Recent shows have included still-lifes and landscapes by South African photographer Pieter Hugo and everyday objects appropriated by artists like Louise Bourgeois. Excellent; we'll make some time to check those out. What did you make of the crowd? This place is always packed with kids getting a head start on their modern art education. Got it. Is there any place to eat here? If so, what's on offer? The cultural center is home to EsteOeste, which serves bruschetta and burgers along with views of the Tagus, and Topo Belém, serving cod cakes with bean sauce and gin-and-wasabi cocktails. Perfect for a little mid-viewing snack! Is it possible to see everything in just one visit? Yes—but only if you don't linger too long. The number of blockbuster works in one building are too many to name: Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Pater , Cindy Sherman’s c-prints, and Andy Warhol’s silkscreen of Judy Garland, accentuated by his famous Brillo boxes." - Alia Akkam
