National Museum of Natural History and Science, Lisbon (MUHNAC)

The National Museum of Natural History and Science (MUHNAC) is Portugal's main museum devoted to nature. It sits in the former Polytechnic School buildings in the city centre and is run as part of the University of Lisbon. For visitors it combines a natural history museum, a look at the history of science and a historic university campus in one place.

Where is the museum and what surrounds it?

MUHNAC occupies the old Polytechnic School complex in central Lisbon. The museum is more than its exhibition halls: it also brings together several places of real historical interest, including the Botanical Garden (a national monument), the Amphitheatre and Chemical Laboratory, the Astronomical Observatory and the former Riding School of the College of Nobles. That makes it easy to see collections and historic scientific spaces in a single visit.

What is the history of the museum?

The institution traces its roots to the Royal Museum of Natural History and Botanical Garden, created in the second half of the 18th century at Ajuda in Lisbon. The collections were briefly housed at the Royal Academy of Sciences before moving to the Polytechnic School in 1858. At first they were known as the National Museum of Lisbon (1861). When the University of Lisbon was founded in 1911, the museum became an establishment attached to the Faculty of Sciences, and in 1926 it took the name National Museum of Natural History.

The present MUHNAC structure dates from October 2011. It merged the collections of the former National Museum of Natural History with those of the University of Lisbon's Science Museum, along with the old Polytechnic School buildings and the Botanical Garden. The Astronomical Observatory has been part of the whole since July 2012.

What is in the collections?

The holdings exceed three million objects. They include natural history specimens, fossils, minerals, birds, mammals, herbarium sheets, insects and fish. These are complemented by scientific instruments, drawings, photographs, archives and books. The mix means the museum tells the story of nature and also of how people have studied it.

The Botanical Garden

The Lisbon Botanical Garden opened in 1878 and is classed as a national monument. As part of MUHNAC, it is a natural extension of a museum visit, especially for anyone interested in plants.

Who is it for?

The museum describes itself as a space for education, science and culture in the heart of the city. It suits families with children, nature lovers, anyone curious about the history of science, and travellers who want something in Lisbon beyond the usual monuments. Check opening hours and ticket prices on the museum's official website before you go.

Frequently asked questions

What is MUHNAC? It is Portugal's main nature-focused museum, managed as a department of the University of Lisbon.

Where is it? In the centre of Lisbon, in the former Polytechnic School buildings.

How large are the collections? More than 3 million objects, from fossils and minerals to scientific instruments and books.

Is there a garden next to the museum? Yes. The Botanical Garden, opened in 1878, belongs to the MUHNAC complex and is a national monument.

When did the current structure come into being? In October 2011; the Astronomical Observatory joined in July 2012.