This museum is inside a former prison, and displays its history, in particular the recent history of Portugal under the fascist dictatorship until its end in 1974. A testimony of the resistance and fight for the freedom of the country. The museum is located near the Sé Patriarcal cathedral and close to the Roman Theatre Museum.

I think you could easily miss this museum tucked behind the Se Cathedral. That would be a shame. This is the story of Portugal under the dictatorship and the stories of those who fought back. I learned so much from the exhibits. They do an excellent job of showing just how brutal it was to be in opposition to the regime but how necessary it was as well. The exhibition is in Portuguese and English and is only 3 euros at the time of this review. Highly recommend for history buffs or anyone who wants to get a glimpse of life under a dictatorship.

Really interesting museum which covers the history of the Portuguese dictatorship. There was a lot of information to read but all of it was very interesting. The museum is a former prison and is definitely worth visiting if you want to know more about Portugal's recent history.

Located within a disused prison this museum has a wealth of images and depictions of recent Portuguese history and is well worth dropping by for 60-90 minutes of your time. It is a little hidden away but what a marvellous find. You'll leave here much more aware of the April 1974 horrors and other dark days in the history of this beautiful country. Be prepared to be shocked! There is a small shop selling books mainly with some very recent (Feb 2024) titles in English.

This is a hidden gem. Perhaps understandably, tourism websites don't seem keen to mention this museum or to say much about the military dictatorship that was in place in Portugal until 1974, however the history involved is fascinating. The museum is well laid out and takes you from the early 20th century, through the many years of dictatorship and the resistance to it, and finally to its overthrow and replacement with a new republic. Best to start on the ground floor and then move up through the building. Apart from on the 1st floor, most exhibits have notes / explanations in English. The 4th floor is for temporary exhibitions and may not have much to see (other than the spectacular views!).

Before our visit here, we were only vaguely aware of the rise and fall of the Salazar era. This extremely well-curated museum lets you learn as much as you can absorb. Good videos and displays. We spent an hour or more and came away with a chilling, but sufficient introduction to the era. But you could spend hours more. We were especially appreciative of this visit on our last day in Portugal, which fell on the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution. We had much greater respect for what the country was celebrating.