The Palmela Collection

This private collection of paintings, sculpture, ivories, gold and silverwork, Chinese and European porcelain, textiles and furniture is the largest ever amassed in Portugal. Begun in the 17th-century by Dom Luís de Sousa, Archbishop of Braga and Ambassador to the Vatican, it was maintained and expanded by other members of the Sousa Holstein-Palmela family. Many of the pieces on display graced the family's various palaces in Lisbon. The art nouveau house that hosts the show is itself worth a visit, being one of Lisbon's most underrated museums.