If you travel around Portugal, you will find an authentic tiles living museum. However, it is at the Museu Nacional do Azulejo (Tile National Museum), in Lisbon, that one can acknowledge in an unique way all of its story, its technical and artistic evolution, since the early times till the contemporary production. The Tile National Museum is one of the most important Portuguese museums, for its unique collection – the Azulejo (tile), an artistic expression which differentiates the Portuguese culture, and for the building where it is located – the ancient Convent of Madre de Deus (Mother of God), founded in 1509 by Queen D. Leonor (1458-1525). The Tile National Museum’s mission is the preservation, presentation and study of its collections and the building in which it is located regarding its safeguarding and enjoyment by present and future generations.

Nowadays, in the XXI century, hand painted tiles are prominently used by the most Avant-garde movements. Religion, poetry, society tales are some of the motifs and themes painted in the Portuguese tiles. Almada Negreiros, Vieira da Silva and Júlio Pomar are artists that have used this material in their famous artistic compositions.