Neonia is an always-new and fascinating place, inspired by the curiosities of an unusual Porto, capable of transporting you into the realm of the fantastic.
This is an immersive space of 1,500 sqm, divided into 19 rooms named after Porto’s streets, monuments, and traditions.
In rooms such as the NeoMetro of Porto, Bolhão Market, Café Imperial, Palácio de Cristal Gardens, Douro River, S. João Festivities, or Freixo Power Plant, you can move between past and future on a journey with its own rhythm, exploring and discovering a metropolis that is as much real as it is fantasy.
MISSION & VALUES
An alternative Porto in the heart of the real one
At the origin of Neonia lies the desire to create a truly unique experience for those visiting Porto. We designed this space to create lasting memories for our “temporary residents”, while hoping that each one also leaves their own mark on Neonia. Just like Porto, Neonia has a very distinctive identity: shaped by its imaginative architecture and by the experience of those who “live” it.
We set out to create a welcoming and inclusive environment, where you can enjoy a journey through past, present, and future — all within the parallel reality of a peculiar city.
We believe that it is the blending of different backgrounds and perspectives that gives meaning to everything we build. That’s why we invited a variety of local and international artists to contribute authentic creations, designed to surprise and delight visitors from age 0 to 100.
Above all, we value the power of the experience and the satisfaction of everyone who visits us. That’s why we’re committed to exceeding expectations — room by room, neon by neon.
FOUNDERS
At Neonia, we celebrate the union of unlikely worlds: science, technology, art, history, and… many others we haven’t fully explored yet, but that we feel pulsing beneath the surface. That spirit of discovery is at the heart of what inspired our founders: with backgrounds in science and engineering, experience in research, teaching, and management, and a combined age of over a century and a half… they came together at the most unexpected moment, for the most random reason!
Vera Mata is a born entrepreneur, with a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto. She co-founded I-SENSIS (a company dedicated to the development of perfumes) and created Ownya, a brand specialising in scented and fragranced products.
Aquiles Araújo Barros, also a Chemical Engineer, has been both an athlete and a volleyball coach, as well as a Chemistry professor at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto. He co-founded Castelbel (a leading Portuguese exporter of scented gifts for body and home) and Castêlo da Maia Gym Club, one of the country’s top volleyball teams.
Marta Carvalho Araújo, who holds a PhD in Quantum Chemistry from the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto, was CEO of Castelbel and Managing Director of Saint-Gobain Sekurit Service Portugal, owner of the Glassdrive brand (specialised in automotive glass repair and replacement).
Aquiles and Marta were professor and student of Analytical Chemistry at the Faculty of Sciences in 2003. Two years later, Aquiles met Vera at RTP television show 4 x Science, in an episode dedicated to perfumes and soaps.
It was only in 2021 — purely by chance — that their paths finally crossed.
When the three met and decided to join forces to create Neonia, it was as if a spark had ignited in a creativity lab running at full capacity!
That spark found the perfect outlet for expression, and today it fuels something truly exceptional — something the founders are proud to share with tourists, visitors, and locals alike.
Neonia is a promise of relaxed and playful learning about the city of Porto, enriching the knowledge and experience of everyone who passes through the Invicta.
WHY AN “ANTIMUSEUM”?
Because we’re an unconventional, atypical museum, projected for all age groups!
From large-scale murals and sculptures to a laser Portuguese guitar, vintage bumper car, arcade games, and even a slide, we’ve got attractions for everyone. Here, not everyone likes everything, but there’s always something special for each visitor!
At Neonia, you can play, learn more about local history and culture, take spectacular photos and videos, or simply relax in Snoezelen environments designed to provide pleasant and calming sensory experiences.
