What to do and see in Caldas da Rainha, Central Portugal: The Best Art Museums

Inaugurated in 2017, the Leopoldo de Almeida Museum resulted from the donation made by the heirs of the sculptor, to the city of Caldas da Rainha, of a wide range of Works of his authorship. The collection consists of models of small and medium format, and a remarkable collection of drawings, wich cover six decades in which Leopoldo de Almeida (1898-1975) was in activity (years 20-70), seeking to give a more intimate view of the one of the most importante sculptors of the Estado Novo pedriod. Designed by the architects Artur Rosa e luís Gravata Filipe, the building is organized in large spaces, were the main groups of collection are arranged: models and mockups, defenitive models (in deposist of the Museum of Lisbon) and the room of drawings and clay sketches.

The António Duarte Atelier-Museum (1912-1998) was inaugurated in 1985 after donation of the master-sculptor's art collection to his hometown of Caldas da Rainha. The initial idea of endowing the building with na atelier was designed to allow the authors to develop artistic projects in parallel with the museum mission. We can find a large part of his sculptural production, from public sculptures (mainly sketches, mockup and models), which are best-known expression of his work, to a more intimate and personal register - a nucleus of Free Creation. na interesting nucleus of Sacred Art can also be appreciated, consisting mainly of religious sculptures, from the High Middle Ages to the Baroque period, which illustrate the taste of the collector and his predilection for th figuration of Christ.

The Barata Feyo Museum (1899-1990), inaugurated in 2004 and designed by one of his sons, Architect António Barata Feyo, houses an important collection of Works by this sculptor who has one of the greatest names of Portuguese sculpture in 20th century and a leading figure in the School of Fine Arts of Oporto. Sculptor, essayist and teacher, Barata Feyo marked a generation, but it was as statuary that he is best known. We can admire the most significant aspects of his work, from wich stand out three main thematic groups : the portrait, the oficial sculpture and religious sculpture.

O Espaço Concas é um núcleo museológico inserido no Centro de Artes das Caldas da Rainha dedicado sobretudo a exposições temporárias. Foi inaugurado em 2009 e foi assim batizado de modo a homenagear a pintora Concas, que ali lecionou enquanto o edifício pertencia à Escola Superior de Arte e Design. Neste espaço está também patente parte da obra plástica da pintora, doada ao Município das Caldas da Rainha pela sua família, que é exposta em períodos específicos no decorrer do ano (consulte site). Dentro do seu acervo encontram-se representadas as várias fases do seu trabalho, desde os primeiros desenhos em Moçambique (anos 60) até à obra que terminou um dia antes de falecer.