The Convent of the Mother of God, or Royal Monastery of Enxobregas, was founded in 1509 by the initiative of the queen D. Leonor, wife of D. João II. There were several reforms and restoration done in the building during the reign of D. João III, D. Pedro II, D. João V. The temple was partly destroyed by the 1755 earthquake. The church was closed to cult in 1868 with the intend to transform the temple into a museum. Only in 1957-1958 the works were carried out to realize this project on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the Birth of Queen Leonor. The Museum was founded in 1965, and the first director became Santos Simões.