National Sports Museum (Museu Nacional do Desporto)
Lisbon's National Sports Museum (Museu Nacional do Desporto) is housed within the Palácio Foz, one of the capital's several fine palaces, on Praça dos Restauradores.
The museum opened in 2012 to coincide with the centenary of Portugal's participation in the Olympic Games.
The Museu Nacional do Desporto is dedicated to the history of all sport in Portugal including Olympic events, football, tennis as well as many more minor sports and games.
History
The museum was founded in 2012 in the former library of the Palácio Foz.
The Museu Nacional do Desporto also contains the National Sports Library with 60,000 registered items. These include volumes of particular historical interest such as the books De Arte Gymnastica, by Hieronymi Mercurialis, published in 1577 and considered the world's first sports book and Tratado de educação física dos meninos, para uso da Nação Portuguesa, by Francisco de Manuel Franco, and published by the Academia Real das Ciências, in 1740.
Exhibits
The museum has a large collection of exhibits including medals, photographs, posters, sports equipment (footballs, golf tees, tennis racquets, tennis balls etc), team badges, trophies and many items donated by Portuguese sportsmen and women. The collection continues to grow and presently numbers around 18,000 pieces.
They also include the Golden Boot award donated by Eusebio and pairs of soccer shoes worn by present-day soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
Visitors can also see a running vest worn by Rosa Mota, the first sportswoman from Portugal to win Olympic gold. Mota won the Olympic marathon gold medal in Seoul in 1988 as well as bronze in Los Angeles in 1894.
In addition to the permanent collection, the museum hosts temporary exhibitions throughout the year. In the past these have included an exhibition of Olympic posters, the Forms of Sport and the tunnel of the Estádio Nacional (National Stadium).
Access - Getting There
National Sports Museum
Palácio Foz
Praça dos Restauradores
1250-187 Lisboa
Tel: 210 540 340
www: museudesporto.ipdj.gov.pt
Praça dos Restauradores is close to both Restauradores Station and Rossio Station. The latter is a major transport hub for the Lisbon city bus, subway, taxi, and tram network. Buses 709, 732, 736 and 759 all stop nearby.
Restauradores Square is within walking distance of the Igreja de São Domingos, the Museu de São Roque and the Teatro Nacional D. Maria II.
Hours: 10 am - 5 pm; Closed Sunday & Monday
Admission: Free
Other sports museums in Lisbon are the Sporting Museum and the Benfica Museum (Museu Benfica Cosme Damião) dedicated to the capital's top two football teams and located at the stadiums.