In the historic centre of Sintra, close to the National Palace, Sintra's Natural History Museum occupies a former market building dating from 1893. Thousands of fossils of boundless importance and scientific value await your discovery inside. The collection is the life-long obsession of Miguel and Fernanda Barbosa, who took fifty years to compile over 10,000 specimens. Highlights include rare yet well-preserved dinosaur fossils, dinosaur eggs and an array of trilobites, bivalves and gastropods. The star exhibit is the world's only example of a complete Braseodactylus, a flying reptile, discovered in Chapada do Araripe - Brazil.
There's also a geological section with a large selection of gems, both in their natural state and polished. Also on display are examples of indigenous to Portugal. There are also meteorites collected from around the world, including the famous Nantan Meteorite - China, whose impact is recorded in 16th-century literature. The exhibits may date back millennia, however, the technology employed to bring them to life is state-of-the-art and successfully tells the story of Earth's evolution. In addition to the permanent exhibition, the museum has a temporary exhibition room equipped to host various shows and events. Also, there is a reserve collection and laboratory for the handling and study of objects, a specialist documentation department and a shop and cafeteria.
Weekdays: 10h00 – 18h00, Weekends: 12h00 – 18h00, (last entry 17h00)
FREE
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Take the IC19 from Lisbon, IC30 from Mafra or EN9 turning off the A5 motorway to Cascais. | |
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The Scotturb buses #434 & #435 leaves from Sintra Train station and takes you to the Old Town Sintra. |
Contact Details
20 Rua do Paço, São Martinho, 2710-602 Sintra, Portugal. |
38° 48' 03.5" N | 09° 22' 41.7" W
+351 219 238 563 |
dbmu.museu.hnatural@cm-sintra.pt
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