Museum Pio XII, Braga, Portugal

The Pio XII Museum was founded in 1957 in the Seminar of Santiago. It started out as an archaeology museum but, eventually, other collections were added. In 1984 painter Henrique Medina donated a substantial part of his works to the museum.
With all the new exhibitions the seminar was becoming inadequate to properly house them, so by the end of the 20th century, the building was completely remodelled. The medieval tower was also recovered, allowing for it to be visited. From the top of the tower, there is a magnificent panoramic view of Braga and the Bom Jesus sanctuary.
In the museum building, you can also see the remnants of a Roman Domus of which only the peristyle is visible.
The museum is thus divided into three parts:
- the permanent exhibition of religious art and painting, and archaeology;
- the Henrique Medina art gallery;
- the medieval tower, with a small chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Tower. The chapel was built in 1756, thanking the Virgin for saving Braga from the devastating destruction caused by the great earthquake of 1755.

Opening hours: Tue to Sun, 9.30 to 12.30// 14.30 to 18.00
Entrance fee: €4 (all three exhibitions, smaller fees apply if only one of the exhibitions is visited).

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Local: Braga, Portugal

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