Museu da Água

The Water Museum in Lisbon (Museu da Água) is devoted to the history of how Portugal's capital gained, stored and distributed its water. It is run by the utility company EPAL and opened in 1987. Rather than a single building, it is a group of four sites spread across the city, which together tell the story of Lisbon's water supply in the 18th and 19th centuries.

What does the museum include?

Four spaces make up the museum: the Águas Livres Aqueduct, the Mãe d'Água reservoir in Amoreiras, the underground Patriarcal reservoir and the former Barbadinhos steam pumping station. Each represents a different stage in the journey of water to the city's residents, so visiting several gives a fuller picture of the system.

The Águas Livres Aqueduct

The aqueduct's entry into the city is marked by the arch on Rua das Amoreiras. It was designed by the Hungarian architect Carlos Mardel between 1746 and 1748, and for generations this infrastructure determined whether the city had access to clean water.

Mãe d'Água reservoir, Amoreiras

Mãe d'Água served as the terminal reservoir of the aqueduct. It was designed in 1745 and completed in 1834. Inside is a water tank 7.5 m deep, able to hold about 5,500 m³ of water. It is one of the most striking spaces in the whole museum.

Patriarcal reservoir

The Reservatório da Patriarcal was built between 1860 and 1864. Its distinctive feature is that it lies underground. It supplied water to downtown Lisbon, showing how the city network was expanded in the 19th century.

Barbadinhos pumping station

The coordinates for this entry point to the eastern part of the city, near Santa Apolónia, where the former Barbadinhos steam pumping station stands. This is the technical side of the museum: the machinery that pumped water up to the reservoirs.

Who is it for?

• anyone interested in the history of technology and engineering,
• fans of 18th- and 19th-century architecture,
• visitors who want to see something in Lisbon beyond the usual tourist routes.

Frequently asked questions

Is the museum a single building? No. It is four separate sites in different parts of Lisbon, linked by a shared theme and one operator.

Who runs it? The water utility EPAL (Empresa Portuguesa das Águas Livres).

When did it open? In 1987.

Which site should I see first? Mãe d'Água in Amoreiras is a good start, as it is the aqueduct's terminal point and a very impressive tank. Check opening hours and ticket prices with the operator before visiting, as they can change.

Is there anything else nearby? Yes. The individual sites sit in neighbourhoods with other Lisbon attractions, so they are easy to combine with a city walk.