Formally established by the end of 2015 as the outcome of the merger between the Museum of Natural History of the U.Porto and the Science Museum of the U.Porto – Faculty of Sciences, the Natural History and Science Museum of the University of Porto (MHNC-UP) has as its main mission the construction and dissemination of knowledge about evolution, diversity and the confluence between the natural and the cultural worlds. Accordingly, the MHNC-UP is committed to preserve, promote, study and raise awareness about a broad heritage linked to the natural, exact and human sciences, built up through education and research-related activities carried out by U.Porto throughout more than two centuries.
The MHNC-UP is organized according to a bipolar structure, encompassing a core pole located in the facilities of the Historic Building of the Rectory of U.Porto, and another one, which includes the Hall of Biodiversity and Porto’s Botanical Garden.
The Core Pole of the Museum, which harbours its historical collections of geology, paleontology, zoology, archaeology and ethnography, botany (including U.Porto’s Herbarium PO) and science, is now undergoing en extensive refurbishment, hosting, since 2019 and while this process unfolds, temporary exhibitions. In turn, both the Hall of Biodiversity – Ciência Viva Center, and Porto’s Botanical Garden are completely open to the public.
The MHNC-UP’s conceptualization and restructuring project, developed in close collaboration with the Ciência Viva Agency, is the first in Portugal to foresee and come about as the result of the dialogue between a Museum and a Ciência Viva Center (CCV). Amidst the XXI century, this project will offer society a university museum with decades of history which reborn as a hybrid between a modern museum and a CCV, with clear goals in what concerns three fundamental lines of action: dissemination, communication and outreach, conservation and research. At the new MHNC-UP, envisioned according to an innovative philosophy based on the assumptions a total museology philosophy, we will tell stories about life, highlighting extraordinary objects and phenomena, as well as prominent figures in the history of the Museum and their pathways. All this, taking advantage of the most advanced museography and technological solutions.
How to get to MHNC-UP?
By Metro: The nearest Metro stations to MHNC-UP are the Metro stations with the name ‘São Bento’ or ‘Aliados’. To go to the both Metro Stations you should take the line D. For more information: http://www.metrodoporto.pt
By Bus: Nearest to MHNC-UP, there is a bus stop called ‘São Bento’ and ‘Cordoaria’. This bus stop is served by the following bus lines: 207, 303, 400, 904, 905, 11M. If you do not have a metro or bus ticket (‘Andante’ or ‘Passe’), you can purchase one on board. For more information: http://www.stcp.pt | http://www.itinerarium.net
