The Orient Museum is located in an iconic building from the 1940s on the riverfront in the Alcântara west of central Lisbon. It's a leading cultural establishment incorporating a fascinating museum, performance venue, conference centre, and leisure spaces amongst others. Its mission is to chart the historic relationship between Portugal and its trading partners in Asia and the orient. The museum opened its doors for the first time in 2008 after a €30 million investment programme to convert this fine former warehouse into a world-class venue. The Oriente Museum is organised around two collections:
Traditional Japanese Costume – Orient Museum
The first floor is dedicated to the history of Portugal's trade routes to the far east and its relationship with the countries of the Orient and former colonies. Celebrating the time when Portugal had a global empire and a great trading nation. Portugal was the first European country to reach the Far East and over centuries it played a pioneering role in the globalisation that began with the discoveries. See how cultures and ideas crossed over. The array of valuable exhibits includes 17th and 18th-century Chinese and Japanese screens, Namban art, ceramics bearing the coat of arms of the Companhia das Índias and a collection dedicated to Timor culture. There's an interesting collection of ancient maps and charts used by Portuguese navigators.