Lisbon’s Renovated and Shining Museums
Lisbon’s capital is reviving its contemporary art scene with newly opened and renovated museums, transforming into one of the most popular tourist destinations.
When the Centro de Arte Moderna (CAM) first opened in 1983, “It was one of a kind,” says museum director Benjamin Weil. Now, 40 years later, CAM is reopening after a significant renovation, joining many other institutions on Lisbon’s vibrant contemporary art scene.
The recently refurbished Museu do Design (MUDE) also reopened this July. Next year, two more museums are set to open: the Pavilhão Julião Sarmento, dedicated to the late Portuguese artist (in February), and a new private contemporary art museum, Museu de Arte Contemporânea Armando Martins (MACAM).
These developments come just six years after the opening of the Instagram-favorite Museu de Arte, Arquitetura e Tecnologia (MAAT). With the art market maturing through events like Lisbon Art Week (its 6th edition held from November 7-10) and the ARCOlisboa art fair (launched in 2016), Lisbon is now fostering a robust art ecosystem.
“The city is changing so fast,” Weil notes. “It has a very dynamic nature.”
Dubbed “Europe’s coolest city” by CNN, Lisbon broke a record last year with 20 million overnight visitors. Besides being a top tourist destination, it also boasts a broad international community among its residents from different cultures. Weil notes that many of these residents view Lisbon as a “safe haven in a strange, chaotic world.”
However, this surge of interest has brought challenges along with opportunities. When CAM reopened in September, activists protested against skyrocketing accommodation costs. “Most of the new developments are catering to luxury tourism,” says Casa Para Viver (A Home to Live In), the group behind the protests. “Housing and rental prices are soaring, density is increasing, and with that comes slums, homelessness, and evictions.”
Lisbon’s rising art scene partly relies on the tourism boom. The upcoming MACAM, set to open in the first quarter of 2025 in a former palace, reflects this interdependent relationship: it will house Armando Martin’s modern and contemporary art collection alongside a five-star hotel.
CAM has witnessed this growth firsthand. Before its closure in 2019, the museum recorded 182,000 visitors. By October 7, just two weeks after reopening on September 21, the number had already reached 59,000, helped by the museum’s free entry. Despite reduced opening celebrations due to a day of national mourning for victims of forest fires in northern Portugal, Lisbon’s art enthusiasts flocked to see the €58 million renovation project.
Weil says that CAM’s redesign aims to be a place “for both artists and visitors,” ensuring that “both groups feel at home here.” The project involved not only the renovation of the 1983 building designed by British architect Leslie Martin but also the expansion of public spaces.
The renovation was led by Kengo Kuma and Associates. The most notable addition to the building is a 100-meter-long entrance inspired by “engawa,” a traditional Japanese architectural feature that provides a transitional space between indoors and outdoors. “It’s a non-functional space but can serve any function,” says Kuma.
Portuguese Tiles
The expansive canopy at the entrance is clad in ash wood, while the roof is covered with handmade white tiles inspired by those traditionally used in Portuguese gardens. According to architect Rita Topa, a partner at Kengo Kuma, this design “creates a smooth transition between the natural and the architectural.” Kengo Kuma also relocated the main entrance from the north side to the south.
After Armenian businessman and petroleum magnate Calouste Gulbenkian moved to Lisbon, he established his foundation in 1956. The foundation supports institutions and individuals in the arts and sciences, focusing on Portugal, Portuguese-speaking countries, and Armenia.
In addition to CAM, the Gulbenkian campus includes a concert hall, an open-air auditorium, an archive building, a library, and the Gulbenkian Museum, which houses the founder’s collection.
Today, CAM continues to expand its 12,000-piece collection through new acquisitions and commissions. One of the latest additions is a floor-to-ceiling installation by Berlin-based Portuguese artist Leonor Antunes, featured as part of her exhibition The Constant Inequality of Leonor’s Days (on display until February 17, 2025).
Although Gulbenkian made his fortune from oil, the foundation has now “fully divested from fossil fuels,” says Weil. Following a summer of forest fires in Portugal, the climate crisis has become a pressing issue for the country, and the foundation is gradually addressing it. The current group exhibition at CAM, mostly featuring works from its collection, includes Bardo Loop (2024), a newly commissioned four-screen installation by US-born artist Gabriel Abrantes. The piece depicts animated ghosts and personal scenes in the face of fires, floods, and other elements that threaten humanity’s future.
At the exhibition’s preview, Abrantes noted that just the night before, his work was shown on local news alongside reports on wildfires in Portugal and flooding in central Europe. He remarked that it felt “almost eerie” how life seemed to imitate art.
Outside, in CAM’s new garden – planted exclusively with native species to enhance sustainability, according to landscape architect Vladimir Djurovic – the only disturbance to the tranquility is the sound of airplanes taking off and landing at the nearby Lisbon airport.
Over the past decade, the number of passengers using the airport has more than doubled, from 16 million in 2013 to 34 million in 2023. A new airport is planned for completion by 2034. While this growth enriches Lisbon’s contemporary art world, it also brings significant challenges for the city.
