May 18th is the International Museum Day. And although this year is on a Monday, the Museums will reopen that day. The National Museum of Contemporary Art (MNAC) is no exception.
Two months completed on the closure of doors due to the pandemic caused by Covid 19, the MNAC, like its counterparts, is preparing to celebrate International Museum Day, this year under the theme “Museums for Equality: Diversity and Inclusion ”.
To this end, all conditions and standards of hygiene and safeguarding the health of employees and visitors to our Museum are ensured, in line with the guidelines provided by the Ministry of Culture and the General Directorate of Health and the Museum team is preparing to receive the its audiences between 10 am and 6 pm. As always on International Museum Day, admission is free.
To receive you, and in addition to the Exhibitions already patent and which remain - “Biography of the Trace. Drawing Collection (1836-1920) ”, curated by Maria de Aires Silveira; and “Pedro Gomes. Encontro das Cegas ”, curated by Emília Ferreira and Hugo Dinis -, MNAC also offers, from the 18th of May, in the lobby of Serpa Pinto, a new Exhibition, also curated by Maria de Aires Silveira. “Nos Palcos da Paixão” is the title of this exhibition, with investigation by the curator around the work Otelo e Desdémona, by the Spanish artist Muñoz Derain (1840-1924). Having integrated the MNAC collection right after its foundation in 1911, this painting was only shown by its first director, Carlos Reis, in 1913, in a group exhibition. “Nos Palcos da Paixão” has a partnership with the National Museum of Theater and Dance, and begins a cycle of sharing works by foreign artists from the collection that are rarely exhibited today.
On the 18th of May, individual or group visits will be possible, according to the limitations imposed by the current circumstances.
Come visit us. We count on you.

Emilia Ferreira
Director of the National Museum of Contemporary Art