The Museu Nacional do Teatro e da Dança is an institution of reference in museology and in the History of the Performing Arts in Portugal.

The museum's collections were created with an attention to the objects, materials and documents useful to the knowledge of theatrical practice, useful to theatrical practice in itself and useful to the knowledge of certain aspects of theatrical practice. They include stage costumes, photographs, illustrated postcards, scenography, costumes, drawings, portraits and caricatures, posters, programs and tickets, music and paper theaters. 

The Museu Nacional do Teatro, officially created in 1982, and called the Museu Nacional do Teatro e da Dança since January 2015, is installed in Palácio do Monteiro-Mor, located in the park of the same name, an 18th century building, acquired by the Portuguese State, which, after a fire, was completely rebuilt for this purpose.

The permanent exhibition includes pieces from the most diverse backgrounds, stage costumes created and designed by artists such as Almada Negreiros or Paula Rego, costumes and props used on stage by Amália Rodrigues, original costumes designed by Maria Keil, Bernardo Marques, Mário Cesariny or Pedro Calapez, stage models designed by Carlos Botelho, Jorge Barradas or José Pacheco, original portraits and sculptures of theater people painted or sculpted by Columbano, Tagarro or Soares dos Reis, and many other objects and documents representing a significant part of the History of Theater and the Performing Arts in Portugal.