One of the rare museums in Europe devoted to the relations between the great civilizations of the East and the West, the Museu do Oriente, in Lisbon, owned by Fundação Oriente, aims to promote recognition of the heritage of the Portuguese presence in Asia and of Asian cultures. Through its two large collections of Portuguese and Asian Art, the Museum retraces a journey across five centuries of intercultural dialogue reflected in art, history, and the living traditions of Asia.

The first collection, the Portuguese presence in Asia, featuring up to 1.600 art objects and documents from 3000 BC to the middle of the 20th century, highlights the journey of the Portuguese in Asia – based on commerce, mission and the encounter of cultures. The second major collection, the Kwok On collection, consists of more than 15.000 objects attesting to the performing arts all over Asia and to the folk myths and religions of which these are the expression.