EUROPEAN MILITARY

174

MUSEUMS

halls there is a splendid use of art work, and some

of the paintings and murals are most impressive.
Throughout the Museu Militar the preservation of arms and
commemorative

armor compares very favorably with that found in other European

military museums. Some of the flags and colors are in a good state
of repair, although they are not always displayed to full advan
tage. Many are displayed vertically and in groups, and so it is
quite impossible to see their designs. They likewise are not en
cased, and are thus subject to the continued deterioration

caused

by constant exposure to the air. The general upkeep of the ex

hibits and building appears fairly adequate, although it is evident
that significant changes seldom occur. The exhibits are all con
sidered permanent and are modified only with the addition of an
occasional new acquisition.

Consideration

has been given to the

need for additional exhibits in the future, for three rooms have
been reserved for displays depicting subsequent events in Portu

military history.
The museum's great emphasis upon collecting artillery and
small arms at the time of its origin is evident not only upon exami
nation of its exhibits but also from a listing of its inventory. Its
collection of small arms now contains over 5,000 individual items.
All but a few hundred are on display. The museum possesses 620
guese

swords

and other

weapons, whereas its heavy ordnance

collection contains 257 cannon and 262 pieces of mobile artillery.
Other items in the inventory include 155 uniforms, 525 insignia
edge

and medals, 70 military models of various types, a sizable number

of musical instruments, a moderate quantity of flags and colors,
many paintings, and a modest library. The museum has received
some personal souvenirs and mementos of famous Portuguese
military leaders, but these have been merged with the rest of the
objects and are not maintained as separate entities.
The Museu Militar contains a fair amount of exhibit space,
for the collections are housed in 33 rooms of varying sizes, though

none is particularly large. It is estimated that these halls provide

25,000 to 30,000 square feet for inside display. The interior open
courtyard has an area of 10,000 square feet and functions partially
as an artillery park, although not too much of the space is now
being used. The staff maintains

for special study,

no separate reference collections

but will work either with items already on