Beer Museum

The Beer Museum of Lisbon, inaugurated in 2012, is a celebration of the history of beer and its cultural and social role in Portugal and Portuguese-speaking countries. Located in the heart of the city, in the historic Praça do Comércio, the museum offers a unique experience that combines gastronomy, culture, and a deep immersion into the world of beer. The museum defines itself as “the smallest beer museum in the world, but also the proudest”, and this statement is understood when visiting it. The exhibition path winds through different sections, each exploring a distinct aspect of beer production and consumption. The visit begins with a reconstruction of a 16th-century monastic cellar, a tribute to the time when monks produced beer for their sustenance and to keep warm during fasting hours. This historical insight highlights the importance of beer in monastic communities and how it spread throughout Europe thanks to the monasteries. Continuing along the path, you enter the “1900 Space”, where the industrialization of beer production in Portugal is illustrated. In this section, visitors can get a close look at the tools and techniques used in industrial beer production, with displays including laboratories with glassware, copper stills, and various types of bottles and barrels. Visitors can touch the main ingredients of beer, such as malt, barley, and hops, and observe the labeling and bottling process, making the experience highly educational and interactive. A distinctive element of the Beer Museum is its mission to promote Portuguese beer. All the beers on display are produced in Portugal or Portuguese-speaking countries, offering a comprehensive overview of the Lusophone brewing tradition. The museum celebrates this diversity with a wide range of labels, bottles, and beer utensils, accompanied by detailed explanations of the history and characteristics of each beer. The visit culminates in an invitation to taste a selection of Portuguese craft beers, an opportunity to appreciate the variety of flavors and aromas that characterize Portuguese beer. Each ticket includes a tasting, offering visitors the chance to savor a beer in the museum’s exclusive glass, designed by the Portuguese artist Júlio Pomar. This special glass, engraved with the flags of the 192 countries of the world, adds a touch of elegance and uniqueness to the tasting experience. The historical and cultural importance of the Beer Museum is also emphasized by the attention to historical narrative. For example, the museum recalls how in the 18th century, during the reign of Dom João V, a ban on the importation of foreign beer was imposed, an action that stimulated local production and led to the birth of the first Portuguese breweries. This protectionist policy favored the development of a national brewing industry, which has evolved over the centuries to become a significant element of the Portuguese economy and culture.