Museums and Palaces

The Vista Alegre Museum, located in Ílhavo, is one of the most important national collections tracing the complete history of porcelain production in Portugal.

Built in 1920, the Museum is made up of 5 rooms covering the various periods of production at the Vista Alegre Porcelain Factory: pieces in glass and crystal, the first pieces to emerge from the factory furnaces, unglazed pieces from 1824-1832, examples of the first attempts at porcelain production (1832-1838), services from the era of splendour (1836-1868) designed by the famous French portrait artist Victor Rosseau, commemorative pieces, some with featuring coats of arms others highlighting world artistic trends or themselves signed by leading figures from the art world.

Priceless pieces are placed side by side with those produced in test runs or selected for their curiosity value to tell the story of porcelain production since 1824.

The Vista Alegre Museum also includes designs, books and machinery used in preparing the raw materials required for porcelain in addition to other objects tracing the long history of Vista Alegre.