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Museum of Christian Art, Old Goa
The Museum of Christian Art (MoCA) holds nearly five centuries of Indo-Portuguese sacred art inside the 17th-century Convent of Santa Monica on Holy Hill, Old Goa. It is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm, with the ticket counter closing at 4:30 pm. Entry is ₹100 for adults and ₹50 for students, the same for all nationalities; the Church of Santa Monica next door is free.
The crowds of Old Goa go to the basilicas; the quietest and most rewarding rooms are up on Holy Hill, inside the 17th-century Convent of Santa Monica. The museum reopened in May 2022 after a long restoration led by the Indian national heritage trust, and it holds nearly five centuries of Indo-Portuguese sacred art (ivory and wood sculpture, silverwork, painting, vestments, furniture) made by Goan craftsmen for a European church. Watching Indian carving habits settle into Christian iconography is the whole point. Unhurried, precisely curated, ticketed.
Five centuries of Indo-Portuguese sacred art in a restored convent, and no crowd
Tickets
Museum of Christian Art timings and tickets
- Hours: open daily, 10 am to 5 pm.
- Last tickets: 4:30 pm.
- Entry: ₹100 for adults, ₹50 for students. The museum does not charge foreign visitors more.
- Free: the Church of Santa Monica and the MoCA shop.
Tickets can be booked online on the museum's site, and guided tours are offered too. The museum closes on some feast days: past notices have announced closures on Good Friday, Easter Sunday and New Year's Day, so check the site if your visit falls on one of them.
What to see in the museum
The collection was made in Goa, by Goan craftsmen, for a European church: sculpture in ivory and wood, silverwork, painting, vestments and furniture, the oldest pieces from the 16th century. The point of the museum is watching Indian carving habits settle into Christian iconography, the Portuguese form with an Indian hand.
After the refurbishment the collection of almost 200 objects, from the 16th to the 20th century, is arranged by type: sculpture, metalwork, embroidered textiles, painting, furniture and books. One section is given to objects linked to St Francis Xavier, whose remains lie in the Basilica of Bom Jesus nearby. The galleries are on two floors in the 17th-century Convent of Santa Monica, and the church attached to it can be visited free of charge.
A short history of MoCA
MoCA calls itself the first museum of its kind in Asia. It was set up with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation of Portugal and the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), and opened in January 1994 at the Rachol Seminary. It later moved to its present home in the Convent of Santa Monica.
Between 2017 and 2020 the museum and the Gulbenkian Foundation upgraded the galleries, and INTACH conserved the collection. After a long closure some galleries reopened in January 2021, and the upgraded museum reopened in full in May 2022.
How to get to the Museum of Christian Art
The museum is in the Convent of Santa Monica on Holy Hill, next to the ruins of the St Augustine monastery, above the basilicas of Old Goa. The museum suggests:
- Bus: local buses to Old Goa run directly from Panjim, Ponda and Pilar; from the stop it is a short walk up the hill.
- Motorcycle taxi: from the Panjim bus stand.
- Hop-on hop-off bus: GTDC-regulated tours from Panjim.
- In Old Goa: walk up Holy Hill.
Both gallery floors are wheelchair accessible, and the museum's site has an accessibility page.
❓ FAQ
What are the Museum of Christian Art timings?
Open daily from 10 am to 5 pm; the ticket counter closes at 4:30 pm.
What is the Museum of Christian Art entry fee?
₹100 for adults and ₹50 for students, the same for Indian and foreign visitors. The Church of Santa Monica and the shop are free.
Where is the Museum of Christian Art?
In the Convent of Santa Monica on Holy Hill, Old Goa, next to the ruins of the St Augustine monastery.
Is the Museum of Christian Art open on Sundays?
Yes, it is open every day, though it has closed on some feast days such as Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
Is it worth visiting if I have seen the Old Goa churches?
Yes: the churches show the buildings, and MoCA shows the objects made for them by Goan craftsmen, in a quieter setting than the basilicas.