Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Saquon Barkley Plaque
Kirkkasik Bedesten inside
Kirkkasik Bedesten
Someshwar Temple
Someshwar Temple
Grilled cheese and tomato soup are soulmates.
The Palisades Restaurant
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
A skeleton on display contemplating its own mortality.
Kid Mai Death Awareness Cafe
This classic London pub has a surprising history behind it.
John Snow
The beef, Guinness, and oyster pie sports a rich, flaky crust.
The Guinea
Welcome to one of the only floating pubs in the world.
Tamesis Dock
This may be the oldest pie in the world.
St Helens 'Oldest Pie' at The Turks Head
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Decoy’s wines reflect the terroir of California.
How a Wooden Duck Migrated From the California Wetlands to a Wine Label
10 days ago
There’s more to the French capital than the Eiffel Tower.
Dear Atlas: What Are Some Non-Touristy Things to Do in Paris?
14 days ago
The plants around Liz Dauncey in this photo are not poisonous, but many common garden and houseplants are.
Are Some of Your Favorite Houseplants Poisonous? AO Wants to Know.
21 days ago
“There may be a collective sense of a dark loneliness,” Dahl says, referring to Norway’s natural landscape.
In Norway, Easter Means Tucking Into Crime Stories
21 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Portugal Lisbon Electricity Museum

Electricity Museum

Located in the thermoelectric factory that once powered the entire city, this Portuguese museum is shockingly fascinating.

Lisbon, Portugal

Added By
Tyler Cole
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Beautiful internal machinery   tylercole / Atlas Obscura User
Beautiful internal machinery   tylercole / Atlas Obscura User
Mannequins shoveling coal   tylercole / Atlas Obscura User
Heat sensor exhibit   tylercole / Atlas Obscura User
Industrial pressure gauge   tylercole / Atlas Obscura User
Outside of the museum   tylercole / Atlas Obscura User
  Alissa Bell / Atlas Obscura User
  Alissa Bell / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Whether it is art or industrial history that SPARKS your fancy, Lisbon's Electricity Museum is likely to fire you up with its mix of vintage electric machinery and contemporary art. 

The giant industrial center that now houses the eclectic Electricity Museum was once a fully functional coal-burning power plant. The plant was originally built across multiple decades in the early 20th century, finally reaching completion in the 1950s. During its life, the power complex provided juice for all of Lisbon, as well as being a rather lovely example of industrial architecture in and of itself. Eventually the power plant became obsolete, but its lovely looks remained.    

It wasn't until 1990 that the space was converted into a museum space. The whole complex then got a make-over in the early 2000s. The old boilers were polished up, the creaky machinery was refurbished, and the variety of exhibitions on display was expanded. Today, the gleaming old machines still remain on display, and are joined by several fascinating interactive exhibits on electricity including a Jacob's Ladder, and a rotating art exhibit. The contemporary art on display changes regularly, ensuring that while the old power plant continues to age, it never gets old.

History tends to thrive in museums, but here the history of electricity thrives BECAUSE it's a museum.  

Related Tags

Museums And Collections Museums Art
Atlas Obscura Adventures

Portugal: A Culinary Adventure from Porto to Lisbon

Explore Portugal through food, from the cities to the seaside.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

tyler

Edited By

Martin, tylercole, Alissa Bell

  • Martin
  • tylercole
  • Alissa Bell

Published

March 2, 2016

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity_Museum_(Lisbon)
Electricity Museum
Av. Brasília
Lisbon, 1300-598
Portugal
38.696309, -9.194868
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

National Coach Museum

Lisbon, Portugal

miles away

Pastéis de Belém

Lisbon, Portugal

miles away

Jerónimos Monastery

Lisbon, Portugal

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Lisbon

Lisbon

Portugal

Places 37
Stories 1

Nearby Places

National Coach Museum

Lisbon, Portugal

miles away

Pastéis de Belém

Lisbon, Portugal

miles away

Jerónimos Monastery

Lisbon, Portugal

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Lisbon

Lisbon

Portugal

Places 37
Stories 1

Related Places

  • A Phoenician lion head.

    Rome, Italy

    Museo Barracco di Scultura Antica

    An expansive collection donated by an heirless nobleman formed this admission-free civic museum.

  • Courtesy National Gallery of Art

    Washington, D.C.

    'Ginevra de’ Benci' Portrait

    The only Leonardo Da Vinci painting in the Western Hemisphere.

  • Works by South Carolinian artist, Jonathan Green.

    Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

    Franklin G. Burroughs - Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum

    This Myrtle Beach art museum features a rotating display of pieces by artists from James Audubon to Frank Lloyd Wright, but it’s their collection of Southern works that truly impresses.

  • The French Shore Interpretation Centre

    Conche, Newfoundland and Labrador

    French Shore Interpretation Centre

    A small museum in Newfoundland is home to a 227-foot tapestry that preserves the remote region's colorful history.

  • Día de Muertos Offering.

    Metepec, Mexico

    Museo del Barro (Museum of Clay)

    A collection of incredible clay crafts, complete with earthen skeletons and mermaids.

  • A slice-of-life display

    Cuenca, Ecuador

    Museo Pumapungo (Pumapungo Museum)

    This museum’s collection includes rescued birds, fine art, and a collection of shrunken heads.

  • The museum celebrating a double Pulitzer winner.

    Key West, Florida

    Tennessee Williams Museum

    This small Key West museum is packed with dozens of artifacts that illustrate the life of the iconic playwright.

  • The hacienda kitchen.

    Guadalajara, Mexico

    Museo Regional de la Cerámica (Regional Museum of Ceramics)

    One of Mexico’s historic pottery-producing towns is home to a museum showcasing the craft.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.