António Cupertino de Miranda Foundation is located near Foz, at the end of Avenida da Boavista and by the City Park, one of the most beautiful areas in Porto. It’s a foundation and cultural museum, created in 1964 by Cupertino de Miranda, a businessman who made his fortune as an immigrant in Brazil, at the beginning of the 20th century.
The foundation is primarily a conference center, but it is also one of the most interesting museums in the city. Housed in a beautiful modern architecture building, design by Francisco Braancamp de Figueiredo, the crown jewel of the Foundation is the Paper Money Museum, one of the worlds largest collections of banknotes, since the 18th century to the present day. Seeing these old bills, it is interesting to imagine what one could have bought in the past with those little pieces of paper.
Among the banknotes, there is a special emphasis on some counterfeit bills made by Alves dos Reis, an infamous Portuguese scammer, that shocked the whole country in 1926. The Foundation has a special affection for financial history, and their educational services are very targeted to the didactic and pedagogical actions in this matter.
One of the other poles of the museum is a collection of over 5000 miniature cars, undoubtedly a place of enjoyment for children but also for adults in love with these toys.
The banknotes collection.
The Foundation’s restaurant is a stylish new cuisine space, that can be the right place for a pricier and impressive business lunch.
When leaving the Foundation, you should try a short walk to the sea, as it is located very close to Castelo do Queijo and Porto’s Sealife, undoubtedly points of attraction for a family visit. If you’re hungry, grab a bite at Picaba.
Open from Monday to Friday : 10am to 12:30pm and 3pm to 6pm.
Closed on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays.