National Coach Museum

National Coach Museum

The National Coach Museum is situated on the east side of the gateway to Belém Palace in Lisbon’s Belém district. It is one of the world’s top museums for carriage collections and also one of the most popular museums among visitors to Lisbon. The museum was originally established as the Portuguese Royal Riding School in 1787 and was opened as a carriage museum in 1905, housing and displaying a variety of carriages used by the Portuguese royal family.

The National Coach Museum offers insight into the development of carriages in Portugal from the 16th to the 19th century. It displays around 50 carriages once used exclusively by the Portuguese royal family or nobility—each luxurious, elegant, uniquely shaped, and distinctively decorated, making for a delightful visual experience. In addition to Portuguese carriages, the collection also includes those from Italy, France, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Among the rarest items is a carriage used by King Philip II of Portugal in the late 16th to early 17th century. Additionally, 18th-century Baroque-style carriages draw much attention due to their exquisite paintings and gilded woodwork, which are incredibly ornate. Perhaps the most impressive carriage in the museum is the one gifted to John V by Pope Clement XI in 1715, remarkable for its design and craftsmanship.

In addition to carriages, the museum also exhibits various horse tack, bows and arrows, and saddle pads. The walls are adorned with oil portraits of Portuguese kings, queens, royal figures, and carriage owners.

National Coach Museum

Must-visit reason: One of the world’s most renowned carriage museums

Continent where the attraction is located: Europe【Europe】

Country/Region where the attraction is located: Portugal[Portugal]

Province/State where the attraction is located: Lisbon District [Lisbon District]

City where the attraction is located: Lisbon [Lisbon]