Friends of FRESS

The Ricardo do Espírito Santo Silva Foundation – FRESS, located in Portas do Sol, Lisbon, is an international model of excellence in the decorative arts and in the promotion of knowledge of arts and crafts.

Established in 1953 as a museum-school, its mission is to stimulate, promote and pass on this artistic and intangible heritage through the Museum of Portuguese Decorative Arts and the cluster of workshops that keep alive this significant legacy, as well as contributing to the preservation of heritage through education, conservation and restoration.

The Foundation was born from an exceptional gesture of philanthropy by the banker and collector Ricardo do Espírito Santo Silva who, by donating Azurara Palace and part of his private collection to the Portuguese State, gave rise to this fundamental project in the country’s cultural panorama.

Today, the Foundation, building on its long tradition in the decorative arts, plays a key role in bringing this legacy into the present day. To contribute to the Ricardo do Espírito Santo Silva Foundation, echoing such acts of exceptional generosity, is to be an active part in the history of this Foundation.