Lisboa Story Centre

Memories of the City

City Memories - What is it?

City Memories - What is it?

Lisboa Story Centre - City Memories

Lisboa Story Centre is an innovative space dedicated to the history of the Portuguese capital, inspired by the wide array of facts and events that have shaped the city. Located in the East Wing of the newly renovated Terreiro do Paço, it has been designed as an interactive Visitor Attraction, comprising 6 public areas, featuring state-of-the-art technology.
Like a well-illustrated book, the Lisboa Story Centre “transports” visitors on a fascinating journey through time. Using a mixture of elaborate sets, multimedia and sensory experiences, the Centre stages dramatic recreations of Lisbon's most important historical events, within the zone between the Baixa Pombalina and the Terreiro do Paço, exploring the myths and realities of this ancient city.

Presented in a playful and interactive manner, while respecting the rich historical tapestry of this magnificent city, the Centre offers visitors an approximately 60-minute journey across time and space.
Covering an area of around 2,200 square-metres, visitors will encounter vivid experiences based on the city's main historical chapters, illustrated via computers and simulators.
On the ground-floor, the Centre has five main exhibition areas. Each area features a story based on different episodes within Lisbon’s history, structured in chronological order, in which visitors will be “guided” by a multilingual “storyteller” in a fascinating tour.
Visitors will be able to soak up the atmosphere of a 16th-century warehouse and discover products from the New World, transported in Caravela ships, also on display.
They will witness the tragic events of All Saints' Day in 1755 – in an immersive experience of the Great Earthquake and its tragic consequences.
Next, they will accompany the Marquis of Pombal as he implements his far-reaching vision for reconstruction of the city, in terms of urban planning and organisation.
These 5 exhibition areas cover Lisbon’s entire history - from early civilisations to the present day.
The 6th exhibition area is located on the first floor, with a virtual scale model of the capital, enabling visitors to explore the city’s various types of architecture, offering a more detailed account of Lisbon's history and encouraging visitors to discover the modern city.

Visitors also have access to a temporary exhibitions area, relating to the Centre's main themes.
Subject to prior booking, groups can access a gallery overlooking the exhibition - that is suitable for hosting various events including the possibility of catering services.
The six visitor areas are as follows:


Area 1 - Lisbon: Myths and Realities (depicting the River, Land, Sea and Sky; Mythological Beginnings; Colonisers and Conquerors; and the City Walls)
Area 2 - Lisbon: Global City (comprising the Cosmopolitan City; Warehouse of the World; Beyond the Horizon; The Flying Priest; the Magnificent City; Death and Politics and the Church)
Area 3 - November 1, 1755, All-Saints' Day (experiencing the Earthquake and the city in ruins)
Area 4 - Pombal's Vision (the post-earthquake plan to modernise the city and its subsequent reconstruction)
Area 5 - Terreiro do Paço (depicts the Square: Politics and Leisure)
Area 6 - Exploring Lisbon (discovering the scale model of the Baixa Pombalina zone, with interactive multimedia devices, depicting more than a dozen of key events within the city's history)

 

The visit ends at the Centre Shop offering an enticing range of carefully-selected products.
Visitors will depart from the Lisboa Story Centre via a Tourist Office, where they can find all the information they require and purchase tourism products.

The Lisboa Story Centre was inaugurated last September, and is open from 10am to 7pm every day of the week (last admittance at 6pm).
 

Available Audio-Guide languages:
• Portuguese (adult and kids version)
• English
• Spanish
• French
• Italian
• German
• Russian
• Mandarin
• Japanese

Non smoking building.