The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation turned 70 this year. Its museum reopened in July after an 18-month renovation, its modern art centre has four new exhibitions, and the orchestra and choir have a full programme for Christmas and New Year. All of it sits in one garden in the Avenidas Novas, a short metro ride from the centre, which makes it the easiest cultural day in Lisbon when the weather turns.
The museum, back to 1969
The Museu Calouste Gulbenkian holds the collection of one man: the Armenian oil magnate who spent his last years in Lisbon and left his art and his fortune to a foundation there. It reopened on 18 July 2026 after a €7.8 million overhaul of its lighting, ventilation and security. The aim was to bring the galleries as close as possible to how they looked when the building opened in 1969, so labels are short and there are no screens. The Mamluk mosque lamps are back in their own cases, the Assyrian winged guardian has been cleaned and moved to a more prominent place, and there is a new room for Greek and Roman coins. Look out for Houdon’s marble Diana, Rubens’ portrait of Helena Fourment, two Rembrandts bought from the Hermitage in 1930, and the room of René Lalique jewellery and glass.
The modern art centre
At the other end of the garden, the Centro de Arte Moderna reopened in 2024 with a long, low canopy by Kengo Kuma, modelled on the engawa, the veranda of a Japanese house. This winter it has four new shows. On Drawing Places, from 7 November 2026 to 29 March 2027, draws on the CAM collection to bring together more than 50 artists from the 1950s to now around the idea of place. Painting Is Easy. Do It Yourself!, until 8 February 2027, is curated by the artist João Maria Gusmão from the la Caixa Foundation’s collection. The Exhibition of a Dream, until 22 February, turns the dreams of artists such as Apichatpong Weerasethakul into music. Inês Zenha’s Murky Waters, until 8 February, is the first major show in Portugal for the Lisbon-born artist: sculpture and installation in adobe, ceramics and water.
The garden
Between the two buildings is the garden, laid out in the 1960s by the landscape architects Gonçalo Ribeiro Telles and António Viana Barreto. Paths wind between ponds, bamboo and stands of tall trees, with sculpture set along the way, designed to look natural rather than formal. Entry is free. In winter, with fewer people and the trees bare over the water, it is at its quietest.
Christmas and New Year concerts
The Gulbenkian Orchestra and Choir perform in the Grande Auditório, where the wall behind the stage is glass and looks onto the garden. On 17, 18 and 19 December, Martina Batič conducts Saint-Saëns’ Christmas Oratorio, followed by Rutter’s Gloria and carols. On 21 and 22 December, The Nutcracker and I retells Tchaikovsky’s ballet from Clara’s side, with the pianist Alexandra Dariescu, a dancer and animation, a good choice with children. The New Year’s Concert, on 6, 7 and 8 January 2027, is conducted by Domingo Hindoyan with the soprano Erin Morley, both making their Gulbenkian debuts. These concerts sell well, so book as early as you can.
Plan your visit
The foundation is on Avenida de Berna, next to the São Sebastião metro station. The garden is free; the museum, the modern art centre and the concerts are ticketed separately on the Gulbenkian website, where opening hours and concert times are listed.
Stay nearby · 1 of 10 in Lisbon
Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon
Overlooking Eduardo VII Park since 1959.
