Museu da Ciência da Universidade de Coimbra (Coimbra Science Museum)
The Museu da Ciência da Universidade de Coimbra (Coimbra Science Museum) in Coimbra displays the historic collections of several faculties of the University of Coimbra, which were merged in the present building in 2006.
Exhibits
The large collection includes astronomical and scientific instruments from the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as exhibits relating to the fields of anthropology, botany, mineralogy, medicine and zoology. The museum owes much to the reforms of the teaching and study of science at the University of Coimbra carried out by the Marquis de Pombal in the 18th century.
The Museu da Ciência da Universidade de Coimbra is considered one of the most important of its kind not just in Portugal but the whole of Europe.
Light & Matter
The museum's vast main collection includes exhibits focusing on the theme of "light and matter" such as the properties of light, the emission and absorption of light by matter, the sun and sunlight, vision and the color of things.
The Museu da Ciência recreates experiments of the late eighteenth century in an interactive manner, highlighting the importance of experimental research, with historical scientific apparatus from the period also on display. The ground-breaking work of such important European scientists as Galileo Galilei, Isaac Newton, Antoine Lavoisier, William Herschel and Charles Darwin is featured and explained.
Anthropology and Ethnology
Other galleries at the Museu da Ciência focus on astronomy, anthropology, botany, ethnology, medicine, natural history, pharmacy, physics and the medical sciences.
The anthropology and ethnology collections include 500 complete skeletons and 2,000 skulls collected mostly during the 19th century in Portugal's overseas colonies in Angola, Brazil, Goa, Guinea, Macau, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Timor.
The astronomy collection contains a number of observational instruments as well as drawings, maps and celestial charts along with historical books.
The botanical section consists of over three thousand specimens of preserved fruits and seeds in addition to a series of plant products: bark, gums, fibers, resins and wood gathered from Brazil and African countries.
The fascinating medical exhibits include examples of lesions in animal and human pathology either preserved dry, in a liquid medium or replicated in wax.
The zoological collection is the largest at the Museu da Ciência and contains over 200,000 pieces. The largest is a mounted skeleton of a 20m long whale with the smallest a series of insects. Also on display are complete specimens of preserved amphibians and reptiles; and an osteological collection of mounted skeletons and skulls.
Particularly noteworthy is the collection of birds from species worldwide, particularly Portugal and Portuguese-speaking countries. Among the mammals are unique examples of a bear and two wild goats, both now extinct in Portugal. Invertebrates represent the rest of the collection of which 75% are insects. The most important collections are of beetles (Coleoptera), butterflies (Lepidoptera) and shells (mollusks).
The Museu da Ciência has a shop selling scientific-themed earrings, badges and other goodies. The museum cafe serves brunch at the weekends and a daily lunch. The cafe's terrace has views over Coimbra.
Access & Hours
Museu da Ciência (museudaciencia.org)
Laboratorio Chimico
Largo Marquês de Pombal
3000-272 Coimbra
Tel: 239 854 350
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10 am-6 pm; closed Monday. Consult the official website (above) for other closing days and hours of opening.
Admission: Fee.
Nearby
Within walking distance of the Museu da Ciência are the Sé Velha, Sé Nova, the Museu Nacional de Machado de Castro and the Jardim Botânico.
