Casa do Infante

I recently visited Casa do Infante in Porto, and it was a remarkable experience. This museum is housed in one of the oldest and most historically significant buildings in the city, dating back to 1325.  What makes it truly special is how layered the history is: the building has served as a royal residence, the city’s customs house, and even the mint over the centuries.  During excavations in the 1990s, they uncovered archaeological remains going as far back as Roman times — including amazing mosaic floors — which are beautifully integrated into the museum exhibits.  The museum itself is very thoughtfully organized. There are permanent exhibits that tell the story of Infante D. Henrique (Henry the Navigator) — it’s fascinating to see how his legacy is interwoven with Porto’s history and Portugal’s Age of Discoveries.  There’s also a newer space, the “Gabinete do Tempo” (Office of Time), which offers temporary exhibitions that invite you to reflect on different moments in the city’s past. 

Nice museum? Yes. However, it’s interesting how we in Europe in 2025 can look at our own history in such a strange way: slavery was not something that there is an excuse for, and we shouldn’t try to find excuses and say what is said here in the museum. I really am shocked that the text may even be sponsored by the EU or influenced by work of scientists. It more resembles the tale of a potititian that doesn’t want to take responsibility for what she decided… but read yourself

Beautiful museum showcasing Portos history from roman ruins until today. Highly recommend.

I was lucky enough to join a guided tour that was planned for today. Rui was an excellent guide through the museum! I recommend this museum to anyone visiting Porto and those who live in Porto! It really got me more interested in the history of the city, Infante Henrique and to want to learn more about the Portuguese explorations.

Nice little museum. Among all the exhibitions displayed, I was very interested in the customs house history as part of Porto history.

Casa do Infante Type: archeological museum Price: 4 EUR Time spent: 20 min Parking: not available Bike parking: not available WC: available Located one of the oldest buildings in Porto the house is considered to be the birthplace of Infante D.Henrique. It was a part of the Porto walls, that surrounded and protected the city, but also served as the custom house in order to collect taxes.

This is reportedly the house where the Infante D. Henrique, the person who propelled the Portuguese expansion, was born. It is also part of Porto's city museum, having an interactive exhibition of the role of the Portuguese in the development of the World Discovery. It is very interesting and it is definitely worth a visit.

Though it's supposed to be the house where Henrique do Infante was born, the museum area was a bit too small with not much collection on display. But it was inexpensive and well kept. There was also some interactive display and more explanation on Porto's involvement in Portuguese exploration mission. Wouldn't hurt to visit if you're in the area, but not sure if it's worth traveling just to visit this.