The largest cultural institution in Portugal was founded in 1955 when Calouste Gulbenkian, the Armenian oil millionaire, donated his estate to the country that had welcomed him during World War II. This museum houses his extensive collections and is part of a larger complex that includes concert halls, a park, restaurants and a museum of modern art.

Situated within the Department of Medicine, the museum holds the distinction of being the oldest in the city. It houses a remarkable collection of historic European drawings, paintings, and manuscripts. This extensive assortment was meticulously gathered by the collector Xavier Atger and features works by renowned artists such as Rubens, Tiepolo, Carracci, and Fragonard.

The IWM North explores the impact of war and conflict on people’s lives, both historically and in the present day. Designed by renowned architect Daniel Libeskind, the building itself is a striking representation of a world fractured by conflict. At its opening, Libeskind described his vision as creating a space that “emotionally moves the soul of the visitor toward a sometimes unexpected realisation.” Located on Trafford Wharf Road in Trafford Park, the museum overlooks the Manchester Ship Canal — an area that played a crucial industrial role during World War II and suffered heavy bombing in the 1940 Manchester Blitz.