The Convent of Cós (a village near Alcobaça) had a first building in the 16^th Century and was later enlarged; the most of last works must date from the end 17^th until early 18^th Century. It was built for accommodation of nuns depending from the important cistercian Monastery of Alcobaça. After the nationalisation of all real estate of religious orders after the liberal revolution of 1820, their lands and buildings were sold to private owners. A family from a neighbour village bought the cellar and later a hearer sold it to the grandfather of the painter Helena Barros.

The building was preserved with its casks, tuns, vats, the stone tank and press where wine was made and stone reservoirs for olive oil, however with some litter inside and little damages in walls and roof. In 1994 the painter José Barata proposed to the family to restore the building in order to set up an art gallery in it. He directed the works following the principle that everything should stay as it was formerly, only cleaning the space and restoring damages.

The opening of this gallery was in 1997. As much as we know, it was the first art gallery in a Portuguese village and it began as an experiment. However, this event had a great impact among population and in the press, as well as the Cultural Direction of Alcobaça Guildhall. Beyond the region, visitors came from Lisbon, Oporto, tourists from other parts of the country and abroad. Unfortunately, its activities had to be suspended in 2004 as a consequence of directors personal problems.

Since 1977 until November 2002 the gallery received 31 exhibitions, of which 5 were international shows. "Euro 2000" was the first international show in it, during August 1999, following a proposal of the Spanish "European Guide of Fine Arts".