Museu da Água

The museum is spread across a group of buildings which managed the water supply for the city of Lisbon across the 18th and 19th century.^[2]

The main museum building stands next to the Mãe de Agua das Amoreiras reservoir, built in 1746 by architect Carlos Mardel.^[3] The reservoir contains a water tank with a depth of 7.5m, capable of holding 5500m³ of water.^[2] Visitors are able to climb to the roof of the reservoir to see a panoramic view of the city.^[2]

The museum collection itself is located in the former steam pumping station of Barbadinhos, built in 1880, which is in a 19th-century industrial building.^[4] The museum features four large steam engines dating from 1876. One has been reconditioned as a working demonstration. The pumps were in use until 1928. The building also has a chimney, with a height of 40m.^[4]

The museum also features portions of Lisbon's 1746 Águas Livres aqueduct, which has a total length of 58km, being made up of 109 stone arches. The tallest section of the aqueduct is 65m high. The entire aqueduct survived an earthquake in 1755.^[5]

In 1990 the museum was awarded the Council of Europe Museum Prize.^[5]

The museum focuses on teaching about the framework of the water supply to the city of Lisbon, as well as sustainable water technology and environmental awareness.^[4]