MatrizNet and RAIZ: search Portuguese museum collections

MatrizNet still appears in books, articles and older links about Portuguese collections. For a current search, start with RAIZ — Bens Culturais Online, developed by Museus e Monumentos de Portugal. Its official presentation identifies it as the successor to Matriz. The historical name helps you recognise older references; current research should start with the service and institution responsible for the record.

What you can find

RAIZ publishes a selection of cultural and archival assets from participating institutions, including those managed by Museus e Monumentos de Portugal. It helps you study objects, compare works and explore national museum collections. Its help pages also describe records for buildings, intangible heritage, documentary holdings and exhibitions.

Keep the museum context in mind: an object, the ensemble it belongs to and the building housing it are different entities. An unsuccessful search does not establish that a work does not exist. Information may be unpublished, the title may differ, or the institution may maintain its own catalogue. An online record also does not confirm that an object is currently on display.

Starting a search

1. Open RAIZ, enter a simple term in Pesquisar…, such as azulejo (tile), and submit the search. Try the Portuguese word used in the catalogue first.
2. On the results page, open Filtrar (filter). Museu (museum), Património (heritage), Categoria (category) and Autores (creators) help direct the search. Inventory, material, technique and chronology criteria are also available. Add one criterion at a time and inspect the results.
3. Open an object’s image or title to read its full record. Check the institution, identification and dating, along with bibliography and related objects where provided.
4. If your search has become too narrow, use Limpar filtros (clear filters) and try another term. The official help explains the available search modes.

Saving a useful reference

Record museum + inventory number + record link + access date, together with the title. For example, the tile panel MC 1535 is identified by the Museu da Cerâmica. The inventory number and the identifier in the link serve different purposes. Preserve both, including letters and spaces, without treating either as a universal national code.

For a school project, research or a visit, note any unanswered questions and contact the museum. Before reusing photographs, consult the RAIZ terms and the image conditions: online viewing does not itself grant a reproduction licence.

Other catalogues to consult

Museus da Madeira maintains a separate regional catalogue, bringing together collections from institutions such as Museu Quinta das Cruzes and MUDAS. Search it separately; its records cannot be assumed to be fully replicated in RAIZ.

For inventoried traditions and practices, consult MatrizPCI. For buildings and sites, SIPA and the search resources of Património Cultural, I.P. answer different questions. A museum record does not replace checking a building’s heritage classification file.