DIM/NEM 2026 — International Museum Day and European Night of Museums in Portugal

Activities in Museums, Monuments and Palaces

Museums, monuments, and palaces are living spaces where history, art and culture come together. To celebrate International Museum Day and the European Night of Museums, these places, which already host exhibitions, guided tours, concerts, workshops, lectures, and many other activities that bring the public closer to heritage, offer a special programme that can be consulted here. Come celebrate with us!

Programme

MAY 17 2026

Free entry

Behind the Showcase: A Visit to the Museum of Popular Art’s Collections
MAY 17 2026

Free entry

A Museum Open for Works | Guided Tour

Museu Nacional de Arqueologia 10h30 (2h)
MAY 17 2026

Free entry

A Day in Porto

Museu do Carro Elétrico 10h00 (3h)
MAY 18 2026

Free entry

Guided Tour: Behind the Scenes of Soares dos Reis National Museum

Museu Nacional Soares dos Reis 13h00 (1h)
MAY 18 2026

Free entry

The 1927 Revolution
MAY 19 2026

Free entry

The Book Tree

Museu de Alberto Sampaio
MAY 19 2026

Free entry

Quiz for autonomous visit

Grão Vasco National Museum
MAY 20 2026

Free entry

Behind the Scenes of the Museum
MAY 21 2026

Free entry

(Re)Living Memories as Heritage
MAY 22 2026

Free entry

“Faces Along a Journey – A Different Gaze”
MAY 23 2026

Free entry

“Cultivating Plastic Flowers”
MAY 23 2026

Free entry

The Science of Dracula and Frankenstein

Museu da Farmácia 21h00 (1h)

News

News

Peace Chords

May 3, 2026

The theme proposed by ICOM for 2026, “Museums Uniting a Divided World”, provides the conceptual framework for the celebrations, calling on museums to affirm themselves as spaces for encounter, dialogue, inclusion, and collective creation. Within this context, a symbolic and simultaneous inaugural moment is proposed across the entire MMP network, to take place on Sunday, 17 May, at 4:00 pm, marking the start of the International Museum Day celebrations.
Feature

“Art That Brings Us Together at MU.SA”

May 7, 2026

For 2026, ICOM defined the theme “Museums Uniting a Divided World” as the guiding framework for the celebrations. This theme reinforces the mission of museums as spaces for dialogue and inclusion, where diverse stories meet and are valued. In a world marked by differences and global challenges, museums have the power to inspire empathy, promote knowledge, and build connections that transcend borders, contributing to a more united, aware, and supportive society.
MU.SA – Sintra Museum of the Arts joins the celebrations of International Museum Day and the European Night of Museums by offering a rich, varied, inclusive, and free programme.