Madeira Art Galleries

(Madeira, Portugal)

As with the museums of Madeira, the island's main art galleries are to be found within Funchal, where both permanent collections of art work and commercial exhibitions await visitors. The Museum of Sacred Art of Funchal is one of Madeira's leading art galleries and showcases some of Portugal's very best traditional paintings and sculptures.

For something a little more modern on Madeira, check out the Museum of Contemporary Art - a gallery devoted to modern artists from the 20th century. Art lovers may also be interested to pay a visit to Funchal's Vicentes Photographic Museum, or even its IBTAM Museum, which present historical photos and local handicrafts respectively.

Museum of Sacred Art of Funchal (Museu de Arte Sacra do Funchal)

Address: Rua do Bispo 21, 9000 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, PT
Tel: +351 091 228 900
Known locally on the island of Madeira as the Museu de Arte Sacra do Funchal, the Museum of Sacred Art of Funchal can be found within the former Old Episcopal Court of Funchal and was established in the middle of the 20th century. The building itself is particularly beautiful and features a watchtower on the upper floor. A large proportion of the paintings on display originate from the 16th and 17th century, being created by Flemish, Madeiran and Portuguese artists.
Open hours: Tuesday to Sunday - 10:00 to 12:30, 14:00 to 18:00
Admission: charge, discounts for seniors, groups and children, children 12 years old and under are free

Museum of Contemporary Art (Fortaleza de Sao Tiago)

Address: Fortaleza de Sao Tiago, 9050 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, PT
Tel: +351 091 226 456
Located within Funchal's Fort St. James (Fortaleza de Sao Tiago), the Madeira Museum of Contemporary Art ranks as one of Portugal's leading art galleries and has been opened since the early 1990s. Visitors to the museum are treated to an impressive collection of modern art, which is typically Madeiran or Portuguese in appearance and quite unique. Temporary exhibitions are commonplace and promote local up-and-coming artists, while the permanent collection features works by artists such as Sofia Areal, Miguel Branco and also Vieira da Silva.
Open hours: Monday to Saturday - 10:00 to 12:30, 14:00 to 17:45
Admission: charge, discounts for students and children, young children are free

Vicentes Photographic Museum (Casa Museu Photografia Vicentes)

Address: Rua da Carreira 43-1, 9000 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, PT
Tel: +351 091 225 050
An extremely historical attraction, the Vicentes Photographic Museum was one of Portugal's very first photographic studios and first opened its doors to the paying public more than 160 years ago, when it was founded by Vicente Gomes da Silva. Today, the photos on display showcase much of the island's history and changing appearance over the past two centuries, with photographs depicting everything from the island's first water plane, to a holiday on the island by wartime prime minister, Winston Churchill. Also on exhibit is some interesting photographic equipment from yesteryear.
Open hours: Tuesday to Friday - 14:00 to 18:00
Admission: charge

IBTAM Museum (Núcleo Museológico do I.B.T.A.M.)

Address: Rua do Anadia 44, 9050 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, PT
Tel: +351 091 223 141
The IBTAM Museum is dedicated to the island's embroidery, tapestry, decorative arts and other local handicrafts. Traditional Portuguese wickerwork is featured heavily amongst the exhibits and this particular craft is something that is still very much practised across the island today. Of particular interest is the valuable collection of vibrant embroidered fabrics, which date back as far as the 19th century.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 10:00 to 12:30, 14:30 to 17:30
Admission: charge