"Neither the haunting quality nor the importance of this poignant museum can be understated. Housed in the former preferred prison of the Portuguese dictatorship, the museum chronicles the oppression, disappearances, coercion, censorship, torture, and other political and criminal misdoings that occurred during António de Oliveira Salazar’s authoritarian rule. The exhibitions, spread over three harrowing floors and arranged by topic, end with the regime’s undoing during the 1970s' Revolution of the Carnations, giving you a complete picture of this agonizing yet significant time in Portuguese history."
A must see. A very well curated and documented history of the resistance to and persecution by the fascist regime that dominated much of 20th century Portugal. Important history that can inform our times as authoritarian regimes try and get power in the US and other countries throughout the world. The conviction, determination and resourcefulness of the men and women that actively participated in resisting the fascist government is a brave example for us all.
Terry Langmead
Google
This was a fantastic little museum. We took about 90 minutes to read everything. It was laid out well, and brought this little known period of history to life (for a 40 year old British person). Tough in places, but a poignant reminder of how easily we could again lose hard-won freedoms as we witness the rise of right-wing politics in our time.
Jaume Martin
Google
I have visited the museum the last Saturday of May 2025 and I have only said good things about. I chose a guided visit. The guide, Elisabete Araújo know all the historic details and she is an excellent communicator who explains with passion every bend of the Museum. All the building it is very interesting especially the reproduction of the Pide dungeons, the witnesses of the repression and tortures and the April 25th room that is very moving.
The Museum has a wide and interesting offer of books. people in reception is very kind and well informed about the books they sell.
I am from Barcelona and I was very satisfied with the visit. Thank you very much.
Tracey Lee McFarland
Google
This was one of the best museums I have visited anywhere in the world! The information and displays are well-curated, the layout is well-planned, and the photographic and video artifacts are compelling. Outstanding experience that visitors and locals should take time to see.
Andrew Marwick
Google
This museum is a must see, not only from the historical context, but the similarities with today's attacks on political enemies, holding prisoners without due process and secret police roaming the streets of Chicago. The museum was laid out very well, with text, photos and diagrams that clarified the rise and fall of the Salazar regime. The museum also clarified the relationship between the mid 20th Century dictatorships, and today's events involving trump. We spent much more time than planned, allow 2 hours to fully experience this museum.
Wiktor Dudek
Google
I visited this museum on a Sunday, there wasn't a lot of traffic in the museum so it was a very nice and calm atmosphere where I could explore most of the rooms alone, speaking of which the museum is really impressive and more expansive than I initially thought
Gisela Mann
Google
This was such a moving experience. Well worth the ticket price. We stayed for far longer than we expected. I never knew how bad it was for people under the fascist regime - and really, it wasn’t very long ago.
Ed Martin
Google
My wife and I visited this museum on our last day in Lisbon without really knowing what to expect, and we were deeply impressed. Neither of us knew much about the history of the Salazar dictatorship and its downfall in the Carnation Revolution, and we learned so much from touring the extremely well done exhibits here. As a visitor, you walk through a chronological timeline starting with events leading up to the fall of the Portuguese monarchy, the brief period of democracy in its aftermath, the rise of Salazar’s fascist regime and the decades-long resistance that eventually led to the regime’s overthrow in 1974. It was every bit as moving as our visit to the Anne Frank House, and the bravery of the resistance was inspiring. Most but not all of the individual exhibits have English captions, but even if we couldn’t read everything we were still very moved by what we saw.