History
The museum was founded in 1833 as Museum Portuense by King Peter IV. Initially it was housed in the St Anthony Convent in the centre of Porto and its exhibits consisted of religious art confiscated from convents and works of art from the absolutists, followers of Miguel I of Portugal, who had struggled against Peter IV a year before. During the 19th century the museum made several acquisions that are still the main nucleus of the collection. In 1911 the museum was named Soares dos Reis in honour of the celebrated Porto sculptor.
In 1942 the museum was transferred from the centre of the city to the old Carrancas Palace, which greatly improved the conditions for the storage and exhibition of the collections. Between 1992 and 2001 the museum was expanded and modernised under a project by architect Fernando Távora.
Read more about this topic: National Museum Soares Dos Reis
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“In nature, all is useful, all is beautiful. It is therefore beautiful, because it is alive, moving, reproductive; it is therefore useful, because it is symmetrical and fair. Beauty will not come at the call of a legislature, nor will it repeat in England or America its history in Greece. It will come, as always, unannounced, and spring up between the feet of brave and earnest men.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“Culture, the acquainting ourselves with the best that has been known and said in the world, and thus with the history of the human spirit.”
—Matthew Arnold (1822–1888)
“There is a history in all men’s lives,
Figuring the natures of the times deceased,
The which observed, a man may prophesy,
With a near aim, of the main chance of things
As yet not come to life.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)