The Museum of Lourinhã and the Late Jurassic dinosaurs of Portugal

The Museum of Lourinhã is placed in central west Portugal, 70 km North of Lisbon. The first dinosaur remains found in Portugal (and one of the first from Europe) were collected in Lourinhã, but only in 1984 a museum was erected by the population. Since then, hundreds of dinosaur fossils were collected in Lourinhã, including fairly complete specimens (e.g., Lourinhanosaurus). Nowadays, the town of Lourinhã holds a successful Museum that is run by the society, and attracts thousands of visitors per year.
The interest of the population for “their” dinosaurs resulted into a straight partnership between the Museum of Lourinhã and the local society and transformed the museum in one of the most dynamic and successful small museums in Portugal and in Europe. The museum of Lourinhã is two-thirds financially independent, while one third is financed by the Municipality.
Twenty years after the inauguration of the Museum, the town of Lourinhã is officially considered the Portuguese “Capital of Dinosaurs”, and a recommended point for tourists, scientists, and politicians.


Basic information

Open from Tuesday to Sunday. Closed at the non-summer holidays.
Schedule: 10:10-12:20 14:30-18:30
Address: Rua João Luís de Moura 2530-157 Lourinhã, Portugal
Telephone contacts: Visits: +351. 261 414 003; Administration and research: +351. 261 413 995
Fax: +351. 261 423 887
Email: geral@museulourinha.org
Website: www.museulourinha.org

Activities: Individual to large groups visits: field and museum guided visits; dinosaur excavation program; volunteering program: paleontological, archaeological and ethnographic research; lectures; fossil preparation. JOIN US! VISIT US!

Paleontology: The Paleontology Pavilion is one of the highlights of the Museum due to the Late Jurassic (150 million years old) dinosaur collection. It is the most important Late Jurassic collection in Europe and includes dinosaur footprints, eggs, embryos, and skeletons of unique dinosaurs like Lourinhanosaurus, Draconyx, Dinheirosaurus, Lusotitans, etc.
Archaeology: Local artefacts from Palaeolithic to Roman Period, mainly from Lourinhã’s municipality.
Etnography: Probably one of the richest regional ethnographic collections focused on the everyday activities of during the 20th Century. Also professions, religion, and leisure objects.