Edifício Pedro Álvares Cabral , antigos Armazéns Frigoríficos do Bacalhau, actual Museu do Oriente, Cultural museum in Estrela, Portugal
The Edifício Pedro Álvares Cabral is a six-story former fishing warehouse in Lisbon that now serves as the Museu do Oriente. The building houses permanent exhibitions with over 1,500 objects from China, Japan, and other Asian countries alongside displays about Portuguese maritime history.
The building was constructed in the early 1900s as a cold storage facility for codfish and remained a key part of Lisbon's harbor commerce for many decades. In 2008 it was converted into a museum and now presents the history of Portugal's relations with Asia.
The museum displays artworks and objects from Asia that tell the story of Portugal's long connection with Eastern cultures. Visitors can see how these cultures were perceived and valued in Portuguese society.
The museum is located near Alcântara-Mar train station and opens Tuesday through Sunday for visitors. Guided tours are available in several languages and should be reserved in advance.
The collection includes Chinese theater masks and props from Ming Dynasty performances, offering a rare glimpse into Eastern performance arts. These objects show how these artistic traditions were preserved and valued in Portugal.
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