The palace was commissioned in 1745 by João Quintela de Mendonça, a wealthy merchant and tax farmer.
It is one of the few buildings in Lisbon that survived the 1755 earthquake with minimal structural damage.
The estate grounds contain a 19th-century Neo-Gothic garden structure known as the 'Tower of the House of the Pimenta'.
The collection includes a massive, highly detailed 18th-century scale model of Lisbon as it appeared before the 1755 earthquake.
The palace interior features high-quality stucco work and tile panels attributed to the workshop of the Real Fábrica do Rato.
The Museum of Lisbon – Pimenta Palace serves as the central hub for the city's historical documentation, housed within an 18th-century aristocratic residence. It features an extensive collection of scale models, archaeological artifacts, and cartographic documents detailing Lisbon's evolution from prehistoric times to the present. The palace itself is a key example of Pombaline-era architecture, characterized by its formal gardens and decorative azulejos. The permanent exhibition, 'Lisbon: History of a City', is organized chronologically across several rooms. Visitors can explore the preserved carriage house and various functional outbuildings original to the estate. The museum holds a significant collection of 18th-century pottery and decorative arts discovered during regional excavations. It serves as the headquarters for the multi-site Museum of Lisbon network.
The central courtyard featuring the baroque-style fountain and patterned calçada stone floor.
Allow extra time to walk through the formal gardens, which are often overlooked by visitors staying strictly inside the galleries.
Visit the 'Tower of the House of the Pimenta' located in the gardens for a unique architectural perspective of the estate.
Check the temporary exhibition calendar in advance, as the palace hosts rotating displays that frequently feature non-permanent loans.
Do not mistake this for the other satellite locations of the Museum of Lisbon; ensure you are at the Campo Grande address.
Closed on Mondays.
Photography without flash is permitted; do not touch historical artifacts or tiled surfaces.
