The founding nucleus of the LIP in Lisbon was constituted in 1986 by professors of the Higher Technical Institute and the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, who embodied in Lisbon the challenge of developing in Portugal a research group on Experimental Particle Physics linked to CERN. At the time they were half a dozen researchers. Today we are about a hundred in Lisbon, among doctorates, students, engineers, technicians and administrators. Maintaining a strong connection with CERN, in particular with participation in the LHC, LIP's activity in Lisbon extended to large particle physics experiences around the world and in space, as well as participation in projects with ESA. The Laboratory now has technological reference skills and scientific infrastructures (digital electronics, optical fibers, medical physics) and computing. It still maintains a strong activity in the connection to the society is to the university, in the dissemination, education and advanced formation.