The thing is, it only costs €3.50 to go in.
The grounds around the building are lovely even if you never go in.
There is a shady little park just behind and the neighbourhood of Almoureiras / Rato is incredibly pleasant with lots of nice eateries.
Inside, you'll find beautiful arches, an interesting wall garden feature, a staircase which leads you to the roof and where you'll see one never-ending tunnel... honestly I couldn't get enough pictures of that spooky tunnel for Instagram!!!
You get up to the roof and you have 360-degree views over Lisbon. If you have a book or your mobile with music and something to drink, it's a great place to chill for a while. The inside of the building supposedly has the most amazing acoustics and you might find kids and teenagers screaming... just to hear the echoes. Many artists have made recordings here, just for the perfect acoustics. Not of kids screaming, I hope.
In terms of touristy things, it's a bit "off the beaten track". By that I mean, not a lot of people seem to know about it, but, I loved it. I would go back. A nice place for a spare hour.
Oh, be aware that they close for lunch from 12.30-1.30. I arrived at 12.33 and had to have lunch to coincide with the Museum schedule. Way too early for me!
This is a striking place the moment you walk inside: impressive vaulted ceiling and perfect reflections in the water. A short climb up and you pass what looks like an unending passageway to your right. The views from the top are spectacular. And all this for free!
This museum (former pumping station) is recommended in my guidebook, so I went to check it out. It's located at Praca das Amoreiras (metro station: Rato), and you can see the end of the Roman aqueduct there. I went on a Sunday and entry was free. According to their website, entry on all weekends in 2018 is free, to tie in the 150th anniversary of EPAL. Note that there's a lunch break. Inside, this pumping station is like a cathedral. You can go up the steps at one end of the wall to view the reservoir from above. Then through still steeper and narrower steps, you can go further up to the roof to have some panoramic view of Lisbon and the aqueduct. I went on a day with drizzle and grey sky, so the view was a bit dull. There were only a few visitors the day I went. Very tranquil place.
It's off the tourist beaten track and interesting to visit.
The water system has many parts all worth visiting - aquaducts, reservoirs and pump houses. The museum here is a large reservoir in a wonderful building. Gives access to see inside the original aquaducts and on the roof good views of the city. Very cheap entrance espec if a senior.
The museum was in the course of renovation when we were there, so this is only a partial review. The whole water supply history is a fascinating topic for those who like social history, and the aqueduct leading into the city is an impressive reminder of the public works undertaken in the 18th century when Lisbon was at its height.
