Albufeira Municipal Archaeological Museum

The Albufeira Municipal Archaeological Museum (Museu Municipal de Arqueologia de Albufeira) exhibits a small collection of artefacts relating to the history of the area from the prehistoric to the 17th century.

Albufeira Municipal Archeological Museum history

The building that the museum is housed in served as the town hall until the late 1980s. The collection was originally assembled by Father José Manual Semedo de Azevedo and includes pieces from the Villa Romana da Retorta, the necropolis of Morgado da Lameira and the Old Matriz Church. The pieces are closely linked to the history of Albufeira, from its earliest origins up to the 17th century.

The archaeological museum became part of the Portuguese Network of Museums in 2003. In 2007 it was incorporated into the Algarve Museum Network.

Albufeira Municipal Archaeological Museum today

The museum has characteristics of urban architecture commonly found in the south of Portugal and occupies two floors overlooking the sea. There are areas for study, conservation, restoration and storage of materials, as well as a small thematic library.

The collection is divided into four sections: Prehistory, Roman Period, Islamic Period and the Modern Age. Highlights include an impressive Roman mosaic, Roman ceramics, original amphorae from the Villa Romana da Retorta and an excavated silo dating from the Islamic period. Temporary exhibits are shown on the upper floor.

Each exhibit has information in a variety of languages on printed sheets stored in a wall shelf close to them, including English, French, German and Spanish. 

Getting to Albufeira Municipal Archaeological Museum

Located in Albufeira’s old town, the archaeological museum can be found just behind the beach. The museum is within comfortable walking distance of the Museum of Religious Art (Museu de Arte Sacra) and the Capela da Misericórdia.

The Albufeira train station is in Ferreira, around 3.5 miles from the old town. The local bus network is called Giro and tickets are sold by the driver. The regional bus terminal connects Albufeira with other major cities along the Algarve by Trans Rapido express buses and Carreiras Interubanas buses that follow a longer and slower route through the coastal villages.

Taxi drivers are not allowed to stop in the street but can be booked over the phone, and many taxi companies offer a direct service to Faro airport.