Navy Museum

The Museu de Marinha ( German: Navy Museum) is a museum in the Belém district of Lisbon (Portugal).

It is located in a part of the west wing of the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos ( German: Jerónimos Monastery ), along with the Museu Nacional de Archeology and in a modern extension to the north of the monastery. The museum is managed by the Portuguese Navy.

Exhibited in the museum are historical paintings, navigational instruments and many models of ships that have been used since the 15th century in Portugal. It is one of the most visited museums in Portugal.

History

The history of the museum is strongly related to King Luís I (1838-1889), a lover of oceanographic studies, himself a navigator and had ever commanded the only king of Portugal himself a ship. He founded in 1863 a collection of objects that are associated with the maritime history of Portugal. 1916, much of the model ship was destroyed in a fire at the Sala do Risco.

1947 took over Jaime do Inso the direction of the Museum. He integrated the collection of ship models, the private man Henrique de Seixas Monfroy had built and bequeathed the end of 1947 to the museum after his death. Condition was that the complete collection, which filled nine rooms in his home, was transferred within three months in the museum. After approval of the Treasury, the collection was temporarily housed in the Conde de Farrobo palace.

At the beginning of the 1950s, the museum part of the Naval Academy in Rua do Arsenal and the local Marine library was attached. Large portions but were housed in the Laranjeiras Sala do Risco and the Palácio. In 1956 Inso, although he was in 1950 already retired, to lead with the plans the collection under one roof. 1959 Inso received the title of the museum director. Finally, the Museu de Marinha was inaugurated in its present premises in August 1962.