Lisbon’s Royal Treasure Museum To Host International Symposium On Crowns And Tiaras

Curators, historians and gemologists from some of the world’s leading museums will gather in Lisbon this November to explore one of the most enduring symbols of monarchy—crowns and tiaras—at the upcoming “Treasures International Colloquium,” to be held November 13 and 14 at the Royal Treasure Museum in Lisbon.

The second edition of the biennial event will bring together museum specialists, historians, gemologists and other experts for presentations and panel discussions exploring the history, artistry and preservation of royal regalia. Among the speakers are Linda Borsch and Matthew Cumbie, curators at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York; Maurício Júnior, director of the Imperial Museum in Rio de Janeiro; and Ellen van Bork and Suzanne van Leeuwen, curators at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Discussions will examine the historical significance of crowns and tiaras, museum conservation practices, and the gemstones that define these remarkable objects.

One of the featured speakers is Odile Emmanuelli, director of the Paris Salon of the Albion Art Collection. Based in Tokyo, the Albion Art Collection was founded by Kazumi Arikawa, one of the world’s foremost collectors of historic jewelry. At one point, Arikawa owned approximately 150 important tiaras, believed to be the largest private collection of tiaras in the world. Emmanuelli will attend in person, while Arikawa will address the audience remotely.

The colloquium will also welcome Maria Francisca de Bragança, Duchess of Coimbra, Portugal. Another distinguished guest is Bénédicte Epinay, executive director of Comité Colbert and a representative of the European Cultural and Creative Industries Alliance (ECCIA), which represents seven European luxury and creative industry organizations.

There are few events that bring together such a diverse group of curators, conservators, historians, gemologists, valuators, auctioneers and other specialists whose work centers on royal jewels.

The colloquium was founded by gemologist and educator, Rui Galopim de Carvalho, José Alberto Ribeiro, director of the Royal Palace of Ajuda, and Nuno Vale, executive director of the Royal Treasure Museum.

The venue itself is one of the event’s greatest attractions. Located in the west wing of Ajuda National Palace, the residence of Portugal’s last royal family, the Royal Treasure Museum is housed inside what is believed to be the world’s largest museum vault, measuring 131 feet long and 32 feet high. The vault safeguards more than 1,000 historic objects set with over 22,000 gemstones, while conference sessions will take place immediately outside it, giving attendees ample opportunity to explore the collection.

Carvalho said one of the goals behind the symposium is to draw greater international attention to the museum, which opened in 2023, while highlighting Portugal’s cultural heritage.

“Taking the collection of this new museum as a starting point—a collection that is indeed extremely rich from an art, history, jewelry, craftsmanship, gems and cultural perspective—we wanted to explore this patrimony alongside other great collections and experts worldwide, offering greater depth and global context to our royal collections as well as to the Portuguese culture and heritage,” Carvalho said by email.

“In fact, our collection does not only tell the history of Portugal but tells the story of Europe and beyond. Exploring with other experts, from other countries and other collections, provides a deeper understanding of the significance of these collections to the public.”

Beyond the conference sessions, attendees can immerse themselves in Portuguese culture through guided visits to view the museum’s treasures up close, tours of other Lisbon museums, excursions outside the city and demonstrations of traditional Portuguese cuisine.

Like the inaugural colloquium in 2024, the event will conclude with a gala dinner accompanied by live music. The first edition featured an orchestral performance at Ajuda National Palace and attracted more than 100 participants.

Carvalho said the inaugural colloquium intentionally adopted the broad theme of royal gems and jewelry to gauge interest. Its success encouraged organizers to narrow the focus for this year’s event.

“For the second theme, crowns and tiaras were chosen for their relevance and symbols of royalty, like the 1818 crown of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves that was made for the acclamation of King John VI of Portugal, whose 200th anniversary is being celebrated this year,” he said.

Carvalho added that the Duchess of Coimbra’s participation is especially meaningful because of her connection to one of Portugal’s most important royal jewels. On her wedding day, she wore a historic diamond tiara created by royal jewelers Leitão & Irmão for Queen Amélie of Orléans and Bragança, the last queen of Portugal. The tiara, presented to her by her mother, the previous Duchess of Bragança, will itself be the subject of one of the colloquium’s presentations.

For more information about the event at the Royal Treasure Museum, visit the Treasures International Colloquium website.