Things to do in Setubal, Alentejo: The Best Museums

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Museum of Labor Michel Giacometti. Three permanent exhibitions: Towards the People: national ethnographic collection of agricultural and rural labor instruments, gathered during the Student Civic Service under the orientation of Michel Giacometti | Canning Industry: The construction of this exhibition was a participative process that started in the 90’s, involving dozens of ancient workers from this industry, who freely gave their testimonies and knowledge, allowing the inclusion, and central necessity, of the oral perspective | Mercearia Liberdade: a centenarian grocery store, from Lisbon, was completely reconstructed in the inside of the museum. Other services: Monthly temporary exhibitions, Intercultural Evenings, Educational Service and Center of Memories.

Corpo Santo House was built in 1714 near a section of Setúbal’s 13th-century wall which the building incorporates. It was named after the patron saint of the city’s “Confraria dos Navegantes” (Navigator Brotherhood), which was based there for centuries. The patron saint was the Dominican friar Blessed Peter Gonçalves (or González) Telmo. Born in Castile during the 12th century and beatified in the 13th century, he was the patron saint of sailors and was known as “Corpo Santo”. The house has different sets of baroque tiles by the master tiler P.M.P.. The ceilings with 18th-century paintings and the Portuguese gilded woodcarvings in the chapel are also worth the visit. It currently houses the Baroque Museum, one of the centres of the Setúbal Museum/Convent of Jesus and also a long-term exhibition displaying ship science equipment, donated by Ireneu Cruz.

Part of the Setúbal Museum/Convent of Jesus exhibition area is found inside the Municipal Gallery of the Bank of Portugal, a space that was adapted to host cultural events, such as exhibitions. The building, which has served as Municipal Gallery since 2013, represented the Bank of Portugal in Setúbal between 1917 and 1994. The architecture, the work of Arnaldo Adães Bermudes, has Art Nouveau influences, and was a symbol of Setúbal’s financial power during the period in which it initially began its correspondence, and then housed the Setúbal bank branch.