Calouste Gulbenkian Museum

Look around this building and you'll realize something unusual: everything here once belonged to a single person who spent 40 years choosing only masterpieces. Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian was an Armenian oil magnate nicknamed "Mr. 5 Percent" because he kept exactly that share of every petroleum company he financed. While building one of the 20th century's greatest fortunes, he traveled constantly between Constantinople, London, Paris, and eventually Portugal, buying art wherever he went. His rule was simple: only the best.

By the time he died in 1955, Gulbenkian had assembled nearly 6,000 pieces spanning 5,000 years, from Ancient Egyptian artifacts to Impressionist paintings. He called them his "children" and left strict instructions in his will: they must be displayed together in one place. This building opened on October 2, 1969, designed specifically to house his collection. Portuguese architects Ruy Jervis d'Athouguia, Pedro Cid, and Alberto Pessoa created galleries that flow into the surrounding gardens, blending nature with art exactly as Gulbenkian would have wanted.

About 1,000 works are on permanent display. You'll find Rembrandt paintings, ancient Mesopotamian reliefs, Islamic carpets, and an entire room of René Lalique's stunning Art Nouveau jewelry, each piece representing Gulbenkian's uncompromising eye for excellence.