This museum takes visitors on a 60-minute journey through Lisbon's history, from its early foundation (pre-ancient Roman days) to modern times. An audio guide and multimedia exhibits describe key episodes, including New World discoveries, the terrifying 1755 earthquake (with a vivid film re-enacting the horrors) and the ambitious reconstruction that followed.
The final room shows the events that have taken place in the Praça do Comércio over the years, from early arrivals at the city's waterfront gates, to the 1974 revolution and its less-illustrious days as a car park in the 1980s.