Located in the prestigious Praça do Império, next to the famous Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, the Museu de Marinha in Lisbon is the heart of Portuguese naval history. Founded in 1863 by King D. Luís I, a sailor and oceanographer, since 1963 it has occupied the western wing of the monastery and a modern pavilion called Pavilhão das Galeotas, designed by Frederico George and dedicated to royal vessels.

The collection includes over 17,000–25,000 pieces including ship models (around 400 models), actual boats, maps, nautical instruments, uniforms, and visual archives. Among the exhibited masterpieces are the Camarinhas Reais of the yacht Amélia, the famous seaplane Santa Cruz from 1922, and the large map that reconstructs the routes of Portuguese explorations.

Thematic sections include the Hall of Discoveries, the Hall of Great Ships, the Naval Aviation pavilion, and a collection of precious nautical astrolabes. The visit offers an interactive dive into the history of navigators, with activities also dedicated to the younger visitors.