Casa-Museu Teixeira Lopes

Casa-Museu Teixeira Lopes is a museum in Vila Nova de Gaia, in the Mafamude district, across the Douro from Porto. It occupies the former home and studio of the sculptor António Teixeira Lopes (1866–1942) and is regarded as the first residence of a Portuguese artist to be turned into a museum.

Who was Teixeira Lopes?

António Teixeira Lopes was among the leading Portuguese sculptors of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His house was more than a villa: from the start it served both as a family residence and as a sculpture workshop. Visitors therefore see not only finished works but also the space where they were made.

How was the building created?

The house was built in 1895 to designs by the architect José Teixeira Lopes, the sculptor's brother. This family collaboration produced a building suited to the artist's needs, combining living quarters with room to work.

How did the house become a museum?

The museum's origins go back to 1933, when the sculptor donated the house and all its contents to the municipality of Vila Nova de Gaia. The holdings were later enriched by the collection of Diogo de Macedo, a sculptor, museologist and writer. Together, the two collections give a broad view of the visual arts of the 19th century and the first decades of the 20th. The Diogo de Macedo Galleries form part of the complex.

What can you see?

The collection includes many sculptures by Teixeira Lopes, along with paintings and decorative arts by other artists. The house preserves original furniture and the sculptor's own works in plaster, marble and bronze, plus drawings. Pieces by other sculptors and painters are on display too.

Who is it for?

It suits anyone interested in Portuguese art of the 19th and 20th centuries, the history of sculpture, or period interiors. A studio-home offers a look at an artist's daily surroundings that a conventional gallery cannot. Because it lies in the same urban area as Gaia and Porto, it combines easily with a wider day of sightseeing.

Frequently asked questions

What are the opening hours? According to OpenStreetMap data, the museum is open Tuesday to Saturday, 9:00–12:30 and 14:00–17:30. It is closed on 1 January, 1 May, 24 June and in December (check exact dates before visiting).

Where is it? In Mafamude, Vila Nova de Gaia, on the south bank of the Douro opposite Porto.

Who runs it? It is one of the municipal cultural venues of Vila Nova de Gaia.

When was the house built? In 1895, as a residence and sculpture workshop.

Is it a single-artist museum? Not only. Alongside Teixeira Lopes's work, it shows Diogo de Macedo's collection and pieces by other sculptors and painters.