Arquitectura de museos en Portugal: temáticas y proyectos recientes

In line with international dynamics, in Portugal, the 1990s corresponded to a period of unprecedented investment in museum spaces, with an impact that ran on for the following decades, mobilising not only renowned architects but also younger generations.
In spite of the global economic crisis that marked the beginning of the millennium, the number of museums continued to increase and was accompanied by a greater programmatic, geographical and conceptual diversity. Assuming the complexity of such a scenario, this article seeks to identify themes and projects which have characterised the architecture of museums in national territory, with a particular focus on the interventions completed over the last decade. This panoramic view is structured around five topics, through which different works and authors are related: 1) Transition; 2) Historical ensembles and city thematisation; 3) Archaeology and cultural landscapes; 4) Specific programmes and 5) Spaces for contemporary creation. Finally, a reflection on the diversity of these works is proposed, arguing that museums configure one of the fields where the plurality of contemporary Portuguese architecture achieves its highest expression.