Focusing on Portuguese immigration and listening to Portuguese stories: Along the Tagus River in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, stands the "Monument to the Discoveries," facing the sea and resembling a ship with its sails unfurled, a magnificent tribute to Portugal's glorious history of maritime exploration. Not far to the north of the monument is the Portuguese Navy Museum, which has a history of 150 years, recording not only the splendor and achievements of the former maritime empire but also telling the story of Portugal during the Age of Discovery.
The Portuguese Navy Museum was established in 1863, under the special order of King Louis I at that time,
to better collect and preserve achievements in navigation. Historically, the Navy Museum has been a dedicated place for the royal family and the navy to store maritime literature and ship models, and it was not open to the public. It was not until 1962, when the Navy Museum relocated to the west wing of the Jerónimos Monastery in the Belém district of Lisbon, that it officially opened to the public.
Like the Jerónimos Monastery, the Navy Museum is an example of Manueline architecture, covering an area of approximately 50,000 square meters, with exhibition space of 16,000 square meters. The museum houses over 20,000 various artifacts, including ship models from the Age of Discovery to the 19th century, uniforms of Portuguese naval soldiers, armor and weapons, navigational instruments, and maps. Additionally, the museum preserves tens of thousands of precious documents and images compiled by Portugal during the Age of Discovery.
Upon entering the museum, visitors can see the statue of the famous Portuguese navigator Prince Henry standing at the entrance of the main exhibition hall, with a large world map on the wall behind him, marking the main maritime routes taken by the Portuguese since the Age of Discovery. Following the winding routes, visitors can embark from Lisbon with Vasco da Gama around the Cape of Good Hope to "reach" India, or sail with navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral to "arrive" at the eastern coast of Brazil.
Entering the main exhibition hall, the first thing seen is a series of ship models displayed in the center of the hall, arranged chronologically, documenting the development of Portuguese ships. From small single-masted caravels to multi-masted ships capable of transoceanic voyages, it is evident from these well-preserved ship models that the Portuguese had advanced ship design and construction skills at that time.
On the walls of the exhibition hall, numerous oil paintings depicting the fleet's journey and the sights and experiences at their destinations can also be seen. Museum staff explained that these oil paintings were created by crew members based on their memories after a successful return, vividly recording the difficulties and dangers encountered by the fleet at sea, and providing valuable information for the Portuguese to understand the cultures and geographies of Africa, Asia, and America at that time.
In addition, the exhibition hall displays various navigational tools such as compasses, globes, and maps, as well as statues of several famous Portuguese navigators.
Staff informed that the Portuguese Navy Museum records the remarkable achievements of the Portuguese people as they set out from the westernmost point of the Eurasian continent to explore all five continents, showcasing the extraordinary wisdom and courage of the Portuguese people. Each year, over 150,000 domestic and international visitors come to the Navy Museum, which hopes to use exhibitions to help more people understand Portuguese history and culture, and to relive the glorious achievements of the Age of Discovery.