Automobile and Fashion Museum (Museo Automovilistico y de la Moda) Tours and Activities

The innovative Automobile and Fashion Museum is found in a former tobacco factory dating from 1927; it has an entrancing cross-section of exhibits and is the brainchild of Portuguese car fanatic and art collector Joao Magalhaes. The museum’s USP is the unusual combination of vintage vehicles displayed against a background of contemporary art and haute-couture design.

Magalhaes’ 80 vintage cars are presented in light-filled galleries stuffed with modern art and come in all vintages from the late 19th century to present day and beyond. His private art collection covers contemporary photography, splashes of graffiti art inspired by Jean-Paul Basquiat and Jackson Pollock, installations forged from wheel rims and sculpture resembling the anatomy of expensive cars. The museum also celebrates the close historic links of brands such as Ferrari and Aston Martin with exclusive fashion houses; the seven elegant clothing displays show exotic gowns from Balenciaga, Dior, YSL and Schiaparelli.

A recent addition to the mix is the EcoMuseum, dedicated to raising awareness of sustainability and green energy; star exhibits here include a steam car designed in 1910, the world’s first electric car — built in 1916 — and several futuristic prototypes, including a vehicle powered by hydrogen. If you’ve got time when visiting, walk to the museum along the seafront promenade, which takes about 40 minutes.