Cultures, Museums and Heritage - Museums

Natural History and Science Museum of U.Porto (MHNC-UP)

"We tell stories about life."

The Science and Natural History Museum of the University of Porto (MHNC-UP)

aims to promote knowledge dissemination related to the evolution, diversity and convergence between the natural and cultural world. It is therefore devoted to the preservation, valorisation, study and dissemination of a vast heritage associated with the natural, exact and human sciences, established through research and teaching activities undertaken at U.Porto over more than two hundred years.

The MHNC-UP integrates a Central Core, located in the Historic Building of the U.Porto (Rectory), and a second pole, consisting of the Hall of Biodiversity – Ciência Viva Center and Porto’s Botanical Garden. 

The Central Core (currently being restructured) is home to historical collections in the fields of geology, palaeontology, zoology, archaeology and ethnography, botany (including U.Porto's Herbarium – PO), in conjunction with the historical Ferreira da Silva Laboratory, which reopened to the public since 2021.

The Hall of Biodiversity – Ciência Viva Center has been open to the public since July 2017, at Casa Andresen, in the heart of Porto's Botanical Garden.

Prof. Maximiano Lemos Medicine History Museum | Faculty of Medicine

The Museum of the History of Medicine invites its visitors to browse all periods of the history of humanity, through a collection which shows the evolution of the history of this science. In addition to an art gallery, the Museum includes eight rooms named after former professors of the the Faculty of Medicine.

Prof. Nuno Grande Anatomy Museum | ICBAS

This Museum presents a large collection of anatomical models and human and animal specimens kept in transparent containers, which are regularly used in Anatomy classes for the Integrated Master’s Degrees for Medicine and Veterinary Medicine at the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS). In addition to the educational aspect, the Museum is accessible to groups of students who would like to visit, subject to prior booking.

FEUPmuseum | Faculty of Engineering

FEUPmuseum's activities focus on the preservation, interpretation and dissemination of tangible and intangible representations of the history, memory and identity of U.Porto's Faculty of Engineering.

Abel Salazar House Museum

The House-Museum occupies the building where Abel Salazar (1889-1946) spent the last 25 years of his life (1921-1946). It aims to research, conserve, interpret and exhibit the legacy of one of the most fascinating figures in the history of the University of Porto. It also contributes to the study and dissemination of Abel Salazar's life and work by offering educational experiences, reflection and sharing knowledge about him.

The long-term exhibition at CMAS presents personal objects, works of art, scientific works, books and other written texts demonstrating Abel Salazar's unique life, activities and interests.

Porto Planetarium – Ciência Viva Center

Is it possible to travel through the universe without taking your feet off the ground? This is what the Porto Planetarium – Ciência Viva Centre proposes.

With its scientific management overseen by the Astrophysics Centre of the University of Porto (CAUP), the Planetarium offers a privileged look into various Astronomical themes. The fulldome digital projection system is used to transform the space into an immersive digital cinema for all ages.