Jewish Museum of Oporto

The Jewish Museum of Oporto (Museu Judaico do Porto) tells the story of the city's Jewish community from the Middle Ages to the present day. It occupies the first floor of the Kadoorie – Mekor Haim Synagogue on Rua de Guerra Junqueiro. For travellers who want a less obvious but deeply rooted layer of Porto's history, it is one of the most rewarding stops in the city.

What can you see at the museum?

The exhibition presents original documents and objects tied to the history of Jewish Porto. A central theme is the work of Artur Barros Basto (1887–1961), who launched a rescue effort for the crypto-Jews, descendants of Jews forced to convert to Christianity, and sought to bring them back to the faith of their ancestors. The museum holds materials documenting that work.

A separate thread covers the Second World War. The Jewish community of Porto received hundreds of Jewish refugees, and the documents on display describe the support they were given.

At the entrance, a panel lists the names of 842 New Christians of Porto who were accused of Judaizing and processed by the Inquisition between 1541 and 1737. It is a concrete way of showing the scale of the persecution that reached the city's residents.

The Kadoorie – Mekor Haim Synagogue

The museum lives inside a synagogue whose construction began in 1936, generously funded by the Kadoorie family with help from Portuguese communities in Lisbon, London and Amsterdam. It was inaugurated in 1938. It is the largest synagogue on the Iberian Peninsula and probably the last one built in Europe before the Second World War. Its creation is largely the work of Captain Barros Basto, who worked to return the region's crypto-Jews to Judaism.

Pairing the museum with a look at the synagogue itself makes sense: together they tell a coherent story about the revival of Jewish life in northern Portugal.

The Holocaust Museum of Porto

In 2021 the Holocaust Museum of Porto was created within the same complex. It presents the history, development and aftermath of the Holocaust, including the story of the Jewish refugees who arrived in Porto between 1940 and 1941. It is the first museum of its kind on the Iberian Peninsula.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Jewish Museum of Oporto?

On the first floor of the Kadoorie – Mekor Haim Synagogue, on Rua de Guerra Junqueiro in Porto.

What period of history does it cover?

From the Middle Ages to the present, with particular attention to the New Christians, the Inquisition, the work of Artur Barros Basto and aid to refugees during the Second World War.

What is the panel at the entrance?

It lists the names of 842 New Christians of Porto accused of Judaizing and processed by the Inquisition between 1541 and 1737.

Who was Artur Barros Basto?

A captain and activist (1887–1961) who led the rescue of crypto-Jews and was the driving force behind the Kadoorie Synagogue.

Is there a related museum nearby?

Yes. The Holocaust Museum operates in the same complex, opened in 2021 as the first on the Iberian Peninsula.

Who is it for?

The museum suits history lovers, anyone interested in Jewish heritage, and visitors who want to see Porto from a different angle than its wine cellars and riverside promenades. Original documents, lists of names and stories of rescue give the visit an unusually personal dimension.