MAAT

On the Belém waterfront, between the railway line and the river, the MAAT lies low along the bank like a wave of white ceramic. The Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology opened in 2016 and became, almost at once, one of the most photographed buildings of Lisbon.

A roof to walk, a museum below

The building is designed to be walked on: the roof rises from the paving of the riverside and carries visitors to a view over the Tejo, while the galleries curve beneath it. The ceramic skin, produced in Portugal, plays with the light of the river through the day. Inside, the programme crosses contemporary art with architecture and the technologies that shape cities, in exhibitions that change with the seasons.

Belém and the river

The museum stands in the middle of the long Belém riverfront, a walk from the Torre de Belém and the monastery that carry the older story of the city, and from the Central Tejo power station beside it, whose turbine halls belong to the same museum circuit. The riverside path that runs past the building links Belém to the heart of Lisbon along the water.

What to see

• The wave-shaped building and its ceramic façade
• The walkable roof with its view over the Tejo
• The galleries of art, architecture and technology
• The Central Tejo power station beside the museum
• The riverside walk between Belém and the city centre

Practical information

The MAAT stands on the Belém waterfront in Lisbon, on the riverside path between the Tower of Belém and the city centre, reached by train, tram or a long riverside walk. Check the official website before visiting for exhibitions and opening times.

Image credit: MAAT by SIryn — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.