Carmo Archaeological Museum

Carmo Archaeological Museum is a beautiful and unique museum in Lisbon that’s definitely worth a visit. Housed in the stunning ruins of the Carmo Convent, it offers an incredible glimpse into Portugal’s history. The exhibits are fascinating, covering archaeology, medieval artifacts, and more. Admission is €5, or you can get a 15% discount with the Lisboa Card. Note that it’s closed on Sundays, so plan accordingly. Overall, it’s one of the best places to explore Lisbon’s rich past—truly unforgettable! 🏛️✨

An interesting historical spot in the center of Lisbon. The ruins are atmospheric and give a good sense of the city’s past, especially knowing the monastery was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake and never rebuilt. The museum itself is quite small, you can walk through everything in about 20 minutes. It’s not a must-see or a top priority if you’re visiting Lisbon for the first time, but it’s still worth a short visit if you’re nearby or interested in history and architecture.

This was simply stunning and we went a little before sunset so we had the opportunity to get to see it in the day and the evening making it even more spectacular. I would plan on spending at least an hour here enjoying the Carmo Archaeological Museum in order to really take it in.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Where Gothic drama meets archaeological treasure hunting with killer views 🏛️ If you're going to stumble upon history anywhere in Lisbon, let it be here. The Carmo Archaeological Museum isn't just housed in a "nice historic building" - it's dramatically perched inside the haunting ruins of a 14th-century Gothic convent that the 1755 earthquake couldn't quite finish off. Talk about resilience with style! The roofless nave creates this absolutely magical open-air cathedral vibe where ancient stones and sky conspire to give you goosebumps. The contrast between delicate archaeological finds and those massive, earthquake-scarred arches is pure poetry. You'll find everything from Roman mosaics to medieval tombs, including some genuinely fascinating Visigothic pieces that most tourists completely miss. Bonus points for the panoramic views! The elevated position gives you lovely vistas over Lisbon's rooftops and beyond - it's like getting a history lesson with a scenic backdrop thrown in for free. Pro tip: Visit late afternoon when the light filters through those Gothic arches just right and the city views are at their most golden. The entrance fee is reasonable, staff are knowledgeable without being pushy, and it's mercifully tourist-trap-free. A perfect gem hiding in plain sight in the heart of Chiado! 📷✨

Worth visiting. There are some interesting relics and mummies. I do like how the repurposed the building. I wouldn’t make a special trip to see it, but would visit if I was in the area. It is amazing how many of the buildings never recovered from fires, earthquakes, and tsunamis that occurred 500 years ago.

Museum welcomes you with fascinating view of survived pieces of monastery under the open sky, inside there are artifacts that I personally never saw on my own eyes. And even (usually boring) history movie was creative and intersting! Bonus points for a cute cat.

The Convento do Carmo is one of the most impressive places I visited in Lisbon. The partially destroyed convent creates a unique and almost surreal atmosphere, especially with the open roof and the gothic arches framing the sky. The museum inside is small but well curated, with interesting archaeological pieces and a calm, peaceful ambience. It’s a place where you can really pause for a moment, take in the history, and enjoy the contrast between ruin and preservation. Definitely worth a visit if you’re in Lisbon.

If you love ancient history especially Portuguese history this is a must see. I was astounded by all the artifacts that were uncovered in Portugal alone, including a small mummy. And the ruins of what’s left behind from the 1755 earthquake is very sobering. A trip to Lisbon is not complete without a visit to this area. The history of Carmo Square can’t be ignored.

This church was destroyed during the biggest tragedy in Lisbon. The earthquake of 1755. Now it's very well preserved and contains multiple objects discovered during it renovation. Besides all the objects spread in the museum that are nice to see and see the history of the church. It also has a projected video in one of the walls. This video explains all the history of the church and is one of the most amazing museum experience I have seen in Portugal. I would recommend a stop at this space.

Visiting here was both heart-breaking and a testimony to how the human spirit endures. Testament left standing since the 17th century, to the earthquake that hit Lisbon in that era. I was very moved. Yelp 2019

Famous church without a roof. Testament to what survived the earthquake many years ago. Nov 1st 1755. In the back there's a museum w many historical items. It's a great place to explore, the bathroom was a great find. Nice n clean. ( Most public bathrooms in Lisbon are not free) good day to learn something new.

CHURCH WITH NO ROOF, founded in the 14th century and destroyed during an earthquake in 1755, it's been preserved as ruins withe the roof never repaired and now a Unesco World Heritage site. The architecture is done in Gothic style with the floorplan in the shape of a cross. It's still grand and imposing, the odd thought I had was how insane the scaffolding must have been to complete some of the imposingly high arches and roof. I was surprised to find I spent very little time in the open roof section. It's the first thing you see when you walk in but for some reason it wasn't as appealing as I thought it would be, the back section is under construction so it's covered and an active work area. There is a small museum in back which I enjoyed a lot more. The masonary and stone carving work is excellent and slightly creepy, there are also two out of place Peruvian mummies on display.

This was a small but worthwhile stop in the center of the touristy Baixa-Chiado area. It's actually quite remarkable to see such beautiful ruins existing in the middle of a bustling city center, very reminiscent of Rome. The convent itself is beautiful inside and a haunting reminder of the devastating 1755 earthquake. They also added some art pieces from local artists, which makes the interior an interesting mix of old and new. Admission also includes a small archeological museum attached to the ruins with plenty of artifacts to keep you entertained if that's your jam. If you're lucky, you'll also get to meet the convent cat. We spent a relaxing hour inside.

Cool ruins snd museum inside. Use your Lisboa card for discount Ted cards to 4 euros per person. Try to visit when the sun is out as there is a section you can enjoy that is outdoors.

Carmo convent ruins are incredibly romantic leftover of the ancient Carmo convent and church that still stands as a reminder of the one of the largest earthquakes that ever rocked Europe, and Lisbon itself. On November 1st, 1755, on All-Saint Day, almost all Lisbon was destroyed by today's estimate an earthquake with magnitude around 8.5. These ruins stand beautifully in the middle of the rebuilt Lisbon and today they are home to the archeological museum that is dedicated to Portuguese history. This was probably one of my favorite places in Lisbon. We came early in the morning, just as they opened, so we had the ruins and museum to ourselves the first few minutes at least. We loved the movies about the earthquake, the museum have some gorgeous artifacts and the whole grounds have really special feeling.. makes you whisper while you're there. To the right of the ruins is direct access to Justa elevator (the top floor), and you can take elevator down or you can walk around whole block and take the ride up. There is also a nice platform where you can see all the way to Tagus River or look at the convent ruins from the other side.

The first time I visited Lisbon, I saw a beautiful church up on top of the hill and wanted very much to visit. Later I found out its name and when I saw some pictures, I know I just have to be there. It's a little uphill walk from the main downtown area, but when I entered after paying the modest entrance fee... I just stood there, awed. The white stone, greyed by age, stood in beautiful contrast to the clear azure sky Portugal is known for. The tall structure provided a cool shade against the hot sun, a gentle breeze blowing through the roofless arches. The quietness and tranquility made me forget that I am in the middle of a big city, and carried me back in time... back to the 18th century when an earthquake and fire destroyed the church... further back to the 14th century as I imagined the building in its glory. Walked further in, there's a small museum of sort. There is not a lot of explanation and the collection seems somewhat lacking in theme, it's fun to browse around. The highlight though, is definitely the gorgeous outdoor ruins. The Portuguese seems to be really fond of preserving the ruins of damaged buildings (even as far away as the St Paul's ruins in Macau), this type of remains is not something you'll see everywhere, so definitely don't miss it!!

One of the coolest museums I've been. The missing roof makes for some stunning photos. The artifacts on display were really interesting. Especially the mummy.

Our departure flight was canceled and rescheduled giving us 2 extra days in Lisbon and we decided to go to this museum. What a great choice! It is small but well designed and fascinating. I would highly recommend. Fantastic historical interest. You can walkthrough and then revisit the more interesting displays all in about 1.5 to 2 hours.

It will be 4 euro to enter this excellent museum and monument to the 1755 earthquake. It's eerie and beautiful. Most of Lisbon has been rebuilt so well you don't realize how epic the destruction must have been. There is a small museum included in the price of the ticket. In the museum you will find tomb covers, sculptures, wall decorations, tiles, mummies ( from Peru), books, a model of the church as it once was and a gift shop. There are bathrooms available. And don't miss the National Guard museum right next door. At 2 euro we weren't expecting much but it was awesome. Lovingly curated and interesting.

I wandered upon this museum and ancient church by accident, but its definitely worth a visit. The church dates all the way back to 1389, not long before Portugal's rise as a great world power. Unfortunately a massive earthquake and ensuing fire destroyed most of the building, leaving just the eerie remains of the frame and arches...fascinating. Since then, efforts to rebuild the main sanctuary have failed, but the other structures were repaired and are now used as a museum for a variety of Portugal's historical artifacts. Its definitely worth €4 for entry.

These beautiful ruins are older than the United States. The official birthday of the United States is in the year 1776. This place has been standing here in ruin since the 1755 earthquake that devastated the city of Lisboa. After hundreds of years they still pack the same awe to travelers. If you pick the right time of day, when the shadows of the arches create stunning picture shot opportunities, you will be rewarded with stunning pictures afterwards. The museum here is also very nice. Although, the mummy remains of two Peruvian kids in jars is just a little bit creepy. These church ruins are a must do, while in Lisboa.

14thC church, ruined in the 1755 earthquake. This site was founded as a museum in 1864. The museum consists of the ruined church structure, which is outdoors in that there is no roof, so you are exposed to the elements. At the far end of it, where the chancel would be for architecture of the era, is an enclosed museum. The indoor portion houses various artifacts, some Roman epigraphy, some tribal items brought by Portuguese explorers from the Meso- and South Americas, and some prehistoric items from the excavation of Castro de Vila Nova de S. Pedro, dating to the Neolithic (Stone Age) and Chalcolithic (Copper Age) periods. There is a gift shop at one end of the indoor portion, which carries a number of books on archaeology. The gift shop has a beautiful window looking out over the city, with visibility straight to Castelo de S. Jorge. This museum also serves as the headquarters of the Association of Portuguese Archaeologists. Tickets are 4€, or 5,50€ for a guided tour. If you have the Lisboa card, it's only 3,20€, and it's free for kids under 14. They offer discounts for seniors, students, and disabled persons. Having been to big archaeological exhibits at the National Gallery in London, the Met in NYC, and the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology at home in Philadelphia, the collections at Museu Arqueológico do Carmo were not as vast or varied, but they held my interest just the same, and their context inside ruins that (as another Yelper mentioned) are older than my country, made me think a lot about how cultures study one another, and view one another as museum collections, representative of entire peoples who live and breathe as you and I, just in a different time and place. I think the exhibits really accomplished showing me this relativity in a way that other archaeological exhibitions have not. The volume of artifacts at the abovementioned museums, just seem too large to comprehend in the way I could this much more digestible number of pieces, juxtaposed in small rooms side-by-side, bringing such vastly different cultures into close vicinity. For me, it was a great historical / anthropological perspective.

Although it is small this is definitely worth the stop in! We spent about 45 minutes to an hour here and really enjoyed it. The church is absolutely beautiful and the exhibits are pretty cool.

Had to see for myself after walking by and viewing all the pictures. Glad we did since the "ruins" are so well kept. The museum has preservations of what was kept and found after the earthquake and ensuing damage. I can see that depending on the time of day the pictures will be awesome.

Lovely but really REALLY small. Really. Its worth going in because of its place in history. But its underwhelming.

Such a gorgeous setting - a church with the roof open to the sky! A novel way to appreciate architecture, history and art in one setting. Lots of interesting artifacts inside as well, with a sense of local history. So peaceful you could forget you are in the center of the city. Cool terrace with lounge chairs outside as well, perfect for nice weather. I would definitely recommend to any Lisbon visitor.