Mário Nuno do Bento Antas holds a degree in History, a Master’s degree in Art History,
and a PhD in Museology. He currently works at the National Museum of Ancient Art (Museums
and Monuments of Portugal, E.P.E.), where he supports the museum’s management and
conducts research. He was elected 2nd Vice-President of ICOM Europe for the 2025–2028
term.
Since 2014, he has been an Invited Professor at Lusófona University, in the Department
of Museology, UNESCO Chair “Education, Citizenship and Cultural Diversity,” where
he also supervises master’s dissertations and doctoral theses.
In 2025, he completed the LEAP Specialization Program – Executive Leadership in Public
Administration at Porto Business School, offered within the LEAP > AP consortium in
partnership with INA (National Institute of Administration), NOVA School of Business
& Economics, and Porto Business School.
He served as Director of the National Coach Museum, Lisbon, from August 1, 2021, to
January 31, 2025.
He obtained his PhD in Museology from Lusófona University of Humanities and Technologies
in 2014, graduating with the final classification of Approved unanimously with Praise
and Distinction. He also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Museology from the same university
(2007). He earned a Master’s degree in Art History from Lusíada University of Lisbon
(2000), with a final grade of 17 out of 20, and completed a Postgraduate Course in
Museology and Heritage at the same institution (1996), with a final grade of Very
Good. He holds a Teaching Qualification in History from Lusíada University of Lisbon
(1996), with a final grade of 17 out of 20, and a Bachelor’s degree in History (Scientific
Branch) from the same university (1994), with a final grade of 15 out of 20. He is
an accredited trainer (CCPFC/RFO-11844/00), certified by the Scientific-Pedagogical
Council for Continuous Training.
He has been a Museologist at Museums and Monuments of Portugal since 2021 and previously
worked at the General Directorate for Cultural Heritage (DGPC) from 2006 to 2021.
As a museologist at the National Museum of Archaeology, he developed several projects.
He coordinated the Portuguese team of the international project Museums and Community:
Concepts, Experiences, and Sustainability in Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean
(EU-LAC), funded by the European Commission under Horizon 2020 – Research and Innovation
Framework Programme (H2020-INT-SOCIETY-2015). He also coordinated the Portuguese team
of the European project EMEE – Eurovision: Museums Exhibiting Europe, funded by the
Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) (Agreement No. 2012/1243/001-001;
522666-CU-1-2012-1-DE-CULTURE-VOL11), from 2012 to 2016.
He has been invited as a specialist to several international seminars promoted by
the Council of Europe and, in 2019, served as an international member of the education
award committee of the Smithsonian Learning and Digital Access Center at the Smithsonian
Institution, Washington, D.C.
He is a member of the International Council of Museums (ICOM). He served as European
Coordinator and Member of the Board of ICOM – Committee for Education and Cultural
Action (ICOM-CECA) from 2016 to 2019. He was also a Board Member of ICOM Portugal,
serving as Treasurer (2013–2016) and Secretary (2016–2019).
He is the author and co-author of scientific articles published in national and international
journals in the fields of History, Museology, Art, and Heritage.
He has received two international awards: the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra
Awards – ILUCIDARE Special Prize for Cultural Heritage-Led International Relations
(2021), and the award for Best Educational Practice in Museums granted by ICOM-CECA
(2012).
His research focuses on Museology, particularly in the areas of education, management,
communication, and new technologies.