The permanent exhibition at the National Museum of Soares do Reis, in Porto, closed for works since 2019, has already reopened, after "a long period of two years" that the director says was necessary to implement a new narrative.
"When I arrived at the museum in April 2021, everything was already dismantled, which allowed me to rethink the museum's long-term exhibition in a more programmatic and comprehensive way. It was a long process, even a very long one, but one that resulted from internal reflections to find narratives for an exhibition that we didn't want to be just a succession of art objects", said the museum's director, António Ponte, in statements to journalists on the eve of its reopening.
In August 2019, Soares dos Reis announced that it would be partially closed, due to the start of the first of two phases of recovery and maintenance works, with an initially expected duration of six months.
Anticipating what visitors will be able to find from Thursday, the official explains that the permanent exhibition presents a new look at its collections, valuing not only the cultural heritage, but also the history of the 190-year-old institution.
"What we are making available to our visitors today is a completely renewed exhibition, with several levels of narrative, of object relations, in which we cross the various artistic expressions - the fine arts with the decorative arts - allowing the public to have their readings", he defended.
The intervention made it possible to fully renovate 27 rooms, with a total area of 1,900 square meters, where 1,133 pieces will be on display, 230 of which are undergoing restoration.
Among the novelties, António Ponte highlighted the availability to the public of pieces, some from the 13th century, which had not been seen for about thirty years, and which are now on display on the second floor of the Soares do Reis Museum building, such as the sculpture of Christ crucified. Also noteworthy are the works of painters Vieira Portuense and Domingos Sequeira, and a bust of the poet Luís Vaz de Camões and a travel album and notes by António Soares dos Reis.
Asked about the museum's intention to apply for funding for the requalification of the outer space, its director indicated that this will be achieved through the Recovery and Resilience Plan and the new community support framework.
The first public art museum in the country, the National Museum of Soares dos Reis was founded as the Porto Museum of Paintings and Prints in 1833, having acquired national status in 1932.