In this article, Jane Turner, emeritus curator of the Rijksprentenkabinet in Amsterdam, recounts the discovery of the authorship of a drawing in the Gulbenkian Collection, the result of the collaboration between colleagues and institutions.
What happens when we let children do the talking? Between January and June 2025, "Especificalistas", the Museum’s young critics, explored the Calouste Gulbenkian
Montmartre, a reference for the bohemian life of 19th and 20th-century Paris, also became one of the favourite subjects for artists of the time. Marie Ely, curator at the Le Mans Museums, reveals which works in the Gulbenkian Collection feature representations of this neighbourhood.
In this article, curator Vera Mariz examines the main aspects of Calouste Gulbenkian's journey to Vienna, where he found public and private collections that left him both enchanted and disillusioned.
Fifteen years separated Calouste Gulbenkian's initial observation of two works from the Rothschild collection and their eventual purchase. This article by curator Vera Mariz examines the story behind these acquisitions.
In the final text of the series, André Murraças navigates the various chronologies and origins of the Gulbenkian Collection – from the Renaissance to the twentieth century, and from European painting to Arabic literature – bringing to light the various ‘queer’ narratives that can be found.
In the second text of this series, playwright André Murraças explores the imagery of Antiquity and mythology in search of ‘queer’ stories hidden amidst the works of art of the Gulbenkian Collection.
The link between the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum building and its surrounding Garden is well-known. However, these connections go beyond the museum gates, linking Ancient Egypt to today's fauna. Explore the relationship between the Garden and the Collection in this article written by curator Maxence Garde.
Queer theory has entered the museum space, bringing with it fresh readings of the collections. In this article, André Murraças reveals how this theory can be applied to the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum.
The exhibition MuseoBot, presented at the Gulbenkian Museum, offered a critical reflection on AI curatorship and chatbot roles, as explained by Inês Fialho Brandão, who conceived and developed the project.
Emily Cain presented the work of the Smithsonian Transcription Center, a collaborative initiative that fosters knowledge production by connecting institutional staff with digital volunteers through the participatory transcription of historical documents.
Megan Ammari explored how Artificial Intelligence and Extended Reality technologies can shape the future of cultural heritage interpretation, reflecting on the need to balance digital innovation with human values essential to citizenship.
Marta Lourenço presented the critical reinterpretation of colonial scientific collections transferred from the former Institute of Tropical Research to the National Museum of Natural History and Science, as part of an ongoing decolonisation programme.
Donna Yates demonstrated how computer-assisted models can identify hidden patterns and unethical or criminal behaviours within the complex relationships behind museum collections.
Ricardo Mendes presented Desafio de Projetos, a partnership between the Gulbenkian Museum and schools to foster creativity, critical thinking, and active participation among students and teachers.
Andreia Coutinho and Maribel Mendes Sobreira presented DES/CODIFICAR BELÉM, a project engaging youth, artists, and museums around Lisbon’s public space and colonial heritage.
Inês Câmara and Raj Isar presented Azimute, a project that values Islamic heritage through curatorial practice and civic reflection.
Vânia Carvalho and Paulo Lameiro presented Museu na Aldeia, a project connecting rural communities, artists, and museums through artistic and social collaboration.
