Description of the attraction
The Alberto Sampai National Museum was founded in 1928 and is located in the city center, where many other historical monuments are located. It is worth noting that the historic center of Guimaraes, where the museum is located, was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.
The museum has a collection of fine art objects that used to belong to a colleague of the Church of Nossa Senhora da Oliveira (Church of Our Lady of Olive in Guimaraes) and other temples and monasteries in the city. In 1928, a decree was issued, according to which Alfredo Guimaraes was officially authorized to supervise the reconstruction of the museum buildings: the chapter house, the sacristy, the cloister (covered gallery) and the priory (small monastery). The cloister is unusually built next to the apse of the church and has a non-standard shape. August 1, 1931 was the official opening of the museum, which was originally called the Regional Museum of Alberto Sampaj. A year later, the museum became national and Alfredo Guimaraes was officially appointed director of the museum. The new premises of the museum were opened in 1967, which allowed the museum to become more modern. The museum opened a conference room and added several rooms for temporary exhibitions. Recently, the museum has been reconstructed again.
The collection of the museum is diverse and is of great interest to art connoisseurs. Among the exhibits there are sculptural compositions of the 13th-18th centuries made of wood and limestone, the altarpiece of the 17th century, which previously belonged to the Brotherhood of St. Peter, and supports from the Santa Clara monastery. Visitors will also be interested in frescoes and panels, ceramics, and church robes. The highlight of the museum is the armor of King João I, which he wore in the battle of Aljubarotta, and church items from the 12th-19th centuries.
