Electricity Museum

A magnificent building that hosts exhibitions about the evolution of energy.

TravelCurious Tip

There’s even an on-site sushi restaurant! Why not

For some of us, electricity is all too easy these days: flick a switch, the light snaps on; twist a dial, the music turns up. It’s been a while since we had to break a sweat winding up our gramophones, or slowly turn purple while trying to blow up an inflatable mattress without a pump. But the Electricity Museum, found on the bank of the Tagus river, may give you reason to be a little more appreciative.


The museum is found in a huge, rather beautiful red-brick industrial building. It was originally built in the early 1900s as a power plant; now defunct, it instead serves as a museum that explains the evolution of energy.


Boiler Room

The permanent exhibition is the grand old power station itself, which illuminated Lisbon for more than four decades. With bits of original machinery on show, you get a real sense of how the plant worked and what conditions its workers had to endure. You can even step inside one of the colossal boilers to get a quite unique close-up view of its structure and internal components — and its not something you need to be an engineer to enjoy.


Never Too Old

Besides that, the power station also houses a whole range of temporary exhibitions and demonstrations, including outdoor solar power demonstrations, films, concerts and shows of photographs, paintings and sculptures. Far from simply being a relic, the old power station has become an exciting, forward-thinking institution.

Nearby Attractions

See all attractions in Lisbon
Discoveries Monument
A monument celebrating the Portuguese Age of Discovery during the 15th and 16th centuries.
Jerónimos Monastery
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a prime example of the exuberant Manueline architectural style.
Belém Tower
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this fortified tower was used defence and ceremony during the Golden Era.
Calouste Gulbenkian Planetarium
This planetarium in the Belém quarter projects stunning astronomical shows inside its 25-metre dome.
National Coach Museum
The most popular museum in Lisbon proudly displays one of the world's finest collections of historical carriages.
Cultural Centre of Belém
The largest cultural complex in Portugal, hosting opera, ballet, symphony concerts and much more.

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