Museum Review: Museu Coleção Berardo

The Museu Coleção Berardo is a modern and contemporary art museum in Lisbon, Portugal. It is also the most visited art museum in the country.  My visit there was actually unplanned, as I spontaneously entered after a walking tour of the city. I was in Lisbon with my family only for the weekend, and we were trying to see as much of the city as we could in our short time there. As we walked by the museum, we felt that we had to take time to explore what was inside. Essentially, I walked in not knowing what to expect. However, I am glad that I decided to make the visit, and I walked out quite impressed with what the museum had to offer. The Museu Coleção Berardo's permanent collection was amazingly curated, featuring a diverse range of artists from all over the world. The upper floor features art from 1900-1960, while the lower floor features art from 1960-2010. The museum also presents a number of temporary exhibitions.

What is great about this museum is how the permanent collection is organized by significant art movements. Each gallery provides an overview on the movement and/or art style it displays. The museum specifically describes itself as a "museological space of reference."  So, a walk through the museum is like a chronological journey through 20th and 21st century art.  For those interested in learning about the foundations and major concepts of modern and contemporary art, I would highly recommend a visit. 

My favorites of the museum included the conceptualism and abstract expressionism sections. It was also my first time experiencing a James Turrell installation. The museum is quite large and spacious, so it was really nice to experience so much art—and take in a lot of information—without feeling overwhelmed. 

Franz Kline, Sabro

Joseph Kosuth, Self-Described and Self-Defined

James Turrell, Fargo, Blue

Jean-Michel Basquiat, Pater