# National Museum Frei Manuel do Cenáculo

> Museum in Portugal

**Wikidata**: [Q10333873](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q10333873)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frei_Manuel_do_Cenáculo_National_Museum)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/national-museum-frei-manuel-do-cenaculo

## Summary
The National Museum Frei Manuel do Cenáculo (Museu Nacional Frei Manuel do Cenáculo) is a prominent national art museum located in the historic city of Évora, Portugal. Officially opened in 1915, the institution serves as a primary space for the exhibition and preservation of art collections within the Alentejo region.

## Key Facts
- **Official Name:** National Museum Frei Manuel do Cenáculo (Museu Nacional Frei Manuel do Cenáculo)
- **Location:** Évora, Portugal (Coordinates: 38.57194444, -7.90694444)
- **Classification:** National museum; Art museum
- **Date of Official Opening:** 1915
- **Annual Visitors:** 18,249 (recorded in 2022)
- **Country:** Portugal (Southwestern Europe)
- **Primary Website:** [museusemonumentos.pt](https://www.museusemonumentos.pt/pt/museus-e-monumentos/museu-nacional-frei-manuel-do-cenaculo-e-igreja-de-nossa-senhora-das-merces)
- **Global Identifiers:** VIAF ID 168907021; ISNI 000000012206082X; LCCN n2002038208; IDREF 029740886
- **Digital Presence:** OpenStreetMap relation 2173928; Yale LUX ID group/3ee9a322-3965-437e-a885-067366213896
- **Common Aliases:** Évora Museum, Museu de Évora, Museu Regional de Évora, MNFMC, Nationalmuseum Bruder Manuel do Cenáculo

## FAQs
**Where is the National Museum Frei Manuel do Cenáculo located?**
The museum is situated in Évora, a city in Portugal. It is positioned at the geographic coordinates 38.57194444 latitude and -7.90694444 longitude.

**When was the museum established and how many people visit it?**
The museum officially opened its doors to the public in 1915. According to data from 2022, the institution welcomed 18,249 visitors during that calendar year.

**What type of collections does the museum house?**
As an art museum, it is a building and space dedicated to the exhibition of works of art. It is classified both as a "national museum" and an "art museum," functioning as a repository for cultural and aesthetic heritage.

**What are the different names used for this institution?**
The museum is known by several titles, including the Évora Museum (Museu de Évora), the Regional Museum of Évora (Museu Regional de Évora), and the acronym MNFMC. In German-speaking contexts, it may be referred to as Nationalmuseum Bruder Manuel do Cenáculo.

## Why It Matters
The National Museum Frei Manuel do Cenáculo is a critical component of Portugal's cultural infrastructure, specifically within the interior region of Alentejo. As a designated "national museum," it represents the highest tier of state-recognized cultural institutions, tasked with the preservation of the nation's artistic legacy. Its location in Évora—a city of significant historical importance in a country that has maintained its sovereignty since 1139—positions the museum as a bridge between regional history and national identity. By functioning as an art museum, it provides the essential spatial context required for the public to interface with "works of art," facilitating the preservation of cultural history through its curated collections.

## Notable For
- **National Status:** It is officially recognized as a "national museum" (Museu Nacional) by the Portuguese state.
- **Historical Longevity:** Having opened in 1915, it is a long-standing fixture in the Portuguese museological landscape.
- **Regional Importance:** It serves as the primary art museum for the city of Évora and the surrounding region.
- **Extensive Authority Control:** The institution is tracked across major global databases, including the Library of Congress (LCCN n2002038208) and the Virtual International Authority File (VIAF).
- **Naming Heritage:** The museum is named in honor of Frei Manuel do Cenáculo, reflecting its deep roots in Portuguese intellectual and ecclesiastical history.

## Body

### Institutional Profile and Classification
The National Museum Frei Manuel do Cenáculo is categorized as both a national museum and an art museum. In the context of structured knowledge, an "art museum" is defined specifically as a building or space utilized for the exhibition of art, distinct from the administrative institution itself. As an art museum, the facility is a subclass of "museum building" and "museum of culture." It is indexed under the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) 708 and 727.7, and the Library of Congress Classification (LCC) N400-N3990.

### Location and Geographic Context
The museum is located in Évora, Portugal. Portugal is a sovereign state in Southwestern Europe, a constitutional republic, and a member of the European Union. The museum's specific coordinates are 38.57194444, -7.90694444. The institution operates within the administrative framework of the Portuguese Republic, which has been an independent entity since the 12th century (recognized in 1139 and 1143).

### History and Operations
The museum reached a milestone in its operational history with its official opening in 1915. It continues to be a significant site for cultural tourism and local education; in 2022, the museum recorded a total of 18,249 visitors. It is currently managed under the umbrella of "Museus e Monumentos de Portugal," and its official digital presence is maintained through the national heritage portal.

### Collections and Scope
As an art museum, the institution's primary structural components are "works of art," which form its art collection. The museum serves as a physical interface for the field of work related to art, separating the aesthetic experience from other environments. Its role aligns with the global definition of art museums as spaces that house collections for public display and preservation.

### Technical Identifiers and Documentation
The museum is extensively documented in international authority files and academic surveys:
*   **Authority IDs:** VIAF (168907021), ISNI (000000012206082X), and LCCN (n2002038208).
*   **Regional Identifiers:** Czech Republic National Authority ID (ko20191030987) and IDREF (029740886).
*   **Research Surveys:** The museum is described in the Open GLAM Survey (2022–2024), which tracks the digital and open-access status of galleries, libraries, archives, and museums.
*   **Digital Mapping:** It is identified in OpenStreetMap via relation ID 2173928 and in the Google Knowledge Graph as /g/121xqqb4.

### Multilingual Recognition
Reflecting Portugal's international cultural ties, the museum is recognized across multiple languages. While its primary name is Portuguese (*Museu Nacional Frei Manuel do Cenáculo*), it is also identified in Spanish (*Museo de Évora*), French (*Musée d'Évora*), and German (*Nationalmuseum Bruder Manuel do Cenáculo*). It maintains a presence on various language editions of Wikipedia, including English, Spanish, German, and Portuguese.

## References

1. GeoNames
2. [Source](http://www.patrimoniocultural.gov.pt/pt/museus-e-monumentos/rede-portuguesa/m/museu-de-evora/)
3. Virtual International Authority File
4. Czech National Authority Database
5. [Source](https://www.patrimoniocultural.gov.pt/static/data/docs/2023/03/10/ev.pdf)
6. [Open GLAM Survey, version of 17 February 2022](https://archive.org/details/OpenGLAM_Survey_20220217)
7. [Source](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WPS-KJptUJ-o8SXtg00llcxq0IKJu8eO6Ege_GrLaNc)
8. [Open GLAM Survey, version of 27 June 2023](https://archive.org/details/open-glam-survey-backup-20230627)
9. [Open GLAM Survey, version of 16 May 2024](https://archive.org/details/open-glam-survey-backup-20240516)