The Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporânea - Museu do Chiado was founded by Decree of the Republic on May 26, 1911. It was born from the division of the former Museu Nacional de Belas-Artes into the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga - which inherited the works created until 1850, and remained installed at Palácio das Janelas Verdes -, and the Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporânea comprising all the works after that date.

The latter was installed in the Convento de S. Francisco, in a neighboring space of the Academia de Belas Artes. Located in the historic center of Lisbon, the Museum is a mandatory visit for those who want to have a knowledge of Portuguese art from 1850 to the present. This National Museum collects, preserves and makes available to the public the State's works of art corresponding to the period between 1850 and the present day.

The permanent exhibition features paintings, sculptures and drawings dated between 1850 and 1975, among which are leading works and authors of the 19th century - from the Romanticism to the Symbolism -, and the 20th century - from the ruptures of the beginning of the century, passing through Modernism and Conceptual Art.

The works between 1975 and today are the subject of temporary exhibitions according to thematic axes and a regular program that, although covering the entire period of the collections, focuses on contemporary production, with special attention to Photography and Multimedia.