Porto’s art scene does not have a concentrated center such as Belém in Lisbon, but you will find a treasure trove of beauty spread tucked into historic buildings, sprawling gardens, and right next to the Douro River.
We’ve curated 9 of the best art museums in Porto ranging from world class contemporary collections to institutions that highlight Porto’s unique artistic identity. Porto rewards visitors who slow down, linger, and let the art unfold at its own pace. Let’s explore.
1. Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Serralves and Casa de Serralves
Address – Rua Dom João de Castro 210, Parque de Serralves, R. de Serralves 999
Why You Should Go
Serralves is Porto’s most important contemporary art destination and one of the most significant cultural institutions in Portugal. Set within a vast landscaped park, the complex combines a striking minimalist museum building designed by Álvaro Siza Vieira with the elegant Art Deco Casa de Serralves, which creates a multi-faceted artistic experience that spans architecture, fine art, and design.
The contemporary museum presents rotating exhibitions by major international and Portuguese artists across multiple types media. Just five minutes away, the Casa de Serralves enchants visitors with a quieter and more intimate experience focused on early twentieth century architecture, decorative arts, and historically grounded exhibitions. The surrounding gardens, forests, and formal landscapes are an essential part of the visit and make Serralves feel more like a cultural campus than a single museum.
2. Soares dos Reis National Museum
Address – R. de D Manuel II 44
Why You Should Go
This is Porto’s principal fine art museum and the best place to understand the development of Portuguese art from the eighteenth century through the early modern period. It is housed in the former Carrancas Palace, and the museum’s well-decorated rooms provide a fitting backdrop for its collection of painting, sculpture, and ceramics.
The museum’s name comes from the renowned Portuguese sculptor António Soares dos Reis, and it is particularly strong in nineteenth century Portuguese art. Its central location near the Crystal Palace Gardens makes it easy to combine with a walk overlooking the Douro River.
3. MASA – Museum of Sacred Art and Archeology
Address – Largo do Colégio
Why You Should Go
This museum explores centuries of religious art tied to the city’s ecclesiastical history right next to the Porto Cathedral. The collection includes sculpture, painting, textiles, goldsmith work, and objects that reflect Porto’s importance as a religious and commercial center.
The museum’s strength lies in its craftsmanship and historical depth rather than any particular blockbuster masterpieces. It is especially rewarding for visitors interested in sacred art, symbolism, and the role of religion in shaping Portuguese artistic traditions.
4. Porto Tram Museum
Address – Alameda Basílio Teles 51
Why You Should Go
While not a traditional art museum per se, the Porto Tram Museum earns its place for its design, engineering, and visual storytelling. Housed in a former power station, the museum displays historic trams alongside photographs, posters, and industrial design elements that chart Porto’s urban evolution.
The museum’s spacious interior and spot by the riverside make it an appealing stop, especially for anyone interested in transportation design and urban history. If you have children that are into trains, this is the perfect place.
5. The Press Museum (Museu Nacional da Imprensa)
Address – Estrada Nacional 108
Why You Should Go
The National Printing Museum celebrates the art of typography, printing, and graphic design in a way that feels surprisingly contemporary. Exhibits include historic presses, posters, books, and rotating exhibitions that highlight illustration, editorial design, and political art.
Situated along the Douro River, the museum also hosts international graphic design competitions which reinforces Porto’s role in visual communication and print culture.
Note: The Press Museum is currently undergoing renovations and will reopen its doors on April 5, 2026
6. Museu Romântico (Romantic Museum)
Address – R. de Entre-Quintas 220
Why You Should Go
An art museum devoted to romance? Not, this is not that kind of museum, but it does recreate the interior of a nineteenth century bourgeois home and offers insight into Romantic era aesthetics, music, and domestic life.
The museum is closely associated with King Charles Albert of Sardinia, who spent his final days in this house after being exiled following political upheaval in Italy. This historical connection reinforces the Romantic themes of exile, introspection, and personal struggle that defined the period. Throughout the house, objects provide insight into how art, music, and literature were woven into daily life among Europe’s educated classes. The surrounding gardens and river views enhance the experience.
7. The Art of Drinking – The Bridge Collection
Address – Rua do Choupelo
Why You Should Go
The art of drinking? We know. This is definitely an unconventional addition to a list of art museums, but one that feels entirely appropriate in Porto. The Art of Drinking – The Bridge Collection is part of World of Wine, the major cultural district in Vila Nova de Gaia that brings together seven distinct museums focused on Portuguese history, craftsmanship, and global connections. Within this broader context, the Art of Drinking explores drinking from multiple angles including ritual, craftsmanship, social practice, and cultural expression. In a city where Port wine shaped global trade, architecture, labor, and identity, drinking is inseparable from history.
The collection focuses on glassware, vessels, tools, and objects related to wine, spirits, and communal drinking traditions all presented with an eye toward design, material culture, and storytelling. Rather than celebrating excess, the exhibition examines how humans across cultures have gathered, marked time, formed relationships, and created meaning through drinking together.
This is the landscape where Port wine was aged, traded, and shipped to the world, and where drinking became both an economic engine and a cultural signature. Visiting this collection adds texture to any understanding of Porto.
8. Casa do Infante
Address – Rua da Alfândega 10
Why You Should Go
Believed to be the birthplace of Prince Henry the Navigator, Casa do Infante focuses on Porto’s medieval and maritime history. The museum includes archaeological remains, maps, and artifacts that connect art, exploration, and commerce.
While not an art museum in the strict sense, it offers essential context for understanding the forces that shaped Portuguese artistic production during the Age of Discoveries.
9. Galeria Municipal do Porto
Address – Jardins do Palácio de Cristal, Rua D. Manuel II
Why You Should Go
The Galeria Municipal do Porto is the city’s most dynamic space dedicated exclusively to contemporary art. Located in the Crystal Palace Gardens complex, the gallery hosts rotating exhibitions by emerging and established artists working across painting, installation, video, and performance.
Its exhibitions often reflect current conversations in global contemporary art, and entry is typically free. After your visit, enjoy a stroll in one of Porto’s most beautiful green spaces at the Crystal Gardens.
Conclusion
Porto’s art museums couldn’t be more different from each other. We encourage you to start with Serralves, which we truly feel is unmissable, and then make your way to the Soares dos Reis National Museum to understand the roots of classic Portuguese art. There is so much art to experience in Porto. When you’re finished, don’t forget to try Porto’s own work of art: Port wine!
