Museu de Artes Decorativas
Photo: Own work — CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Museu de Artes Decorativas, housed in the 18th-century Casa dos Barbosa Maciel, displays a rich collection of Portuguese ceramics, azulejos, and Indo-Portuguese furniture.
Planning your visit
The Museu de Artes Decorativas occupies the Casa dos Barbosa Maciel, an eighteenth-century noble house in Viana do Castelo with painted ceilings and period interiors intact.
The collection's strength is ceramics, and specifically the faience produced in Viana itself and in nearby centres from the seventeenth century — blue-and-white wares influenced by Chinese porcelain arriving through Portuguese trade, and later polychrome work. Azulejo panels line the walls.
Indo-Portuguese furniture is the other notable holding: pieces made in Goa and elsewhere in Portuguese Asia, combining European forms with local materials and inlay techniques, which document a trading empire through domestic objects.
Viana do Castelo sits at the mouth of the Lima in the Minho, a region known for its embroidery, gold filigree jewellery and the vinho verde vineyards inland. Allow an hour. The main booking is an entry ticket. Current availability is listed below.
Before you book
Where is Museu de Artes Decorativas?
Museu de Artes Decorativas is in Viana do Castelo, Portugal. The map on this page marks its exact location.
How long should I allow for Museu de Artes Decorativas?
Allow an hour. That is the time the collection itself takes at an unhurried pace, before any queue.
Do I need to book Museu de Artes Decorativas in advance?
Tickets can be bought on the door at quiet times, but booking ahead fixes the date and avoids the queue at busy ones. Live availability is shown on this page.
