Museu Rainha Dona Leonor

In the former Convento de Nossa Senhora da Conceição, in the old town of Beja, the Museu Rainha Dona Leonor brings together art, archaeology and the history of the Alentejo. The convent itself, founded in the fifteenth century, is part of the experience, with its church, cloisters and the tomb of its foundress.

From convent to museum

The museum was created in 1917 and opened in 1927, installing the region’s collections in the former Franciscan convent. Its rooms display painting, sculpture, goldsmithery and archaeology, while the church preserves the Gothic tomb of the Duchess of Burgundy, daughter of the convent’s founders.

What to see

• Painting, sculpture and goldsmithery from the Beja region.
• Archaeology, from prehistory to the Roman and Islamic periods.
• The convent church and cloisters, with their Gothic and Manueline details.
• Temporary exhibitions on the history and heritage of the Alentejo.

Visiting the museum

The museum is at Largo da Conceição, Beja, in the historic centre. Opening hours are published by the municipality, so check the official website before your visit.

Visitor information: cm-beja.pt.

Image credit: Museu Rainha Dona Leonor, Beja, by Bextrel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.