Madeira Museums

(Madeira, Portugal)

The main museums of Madeira tend to be concentrated within Funchal, where many different themes are explored. One of the most popular is the Madeira Museum of Natural History, which is situated within the island's beautifully landscaped Botanical Gardens (Jardim Botanico) and in an area named the 'Bom Sucesso'.

Being famous throughout Europe and beyond for its Madeira wine, it is fitting that Funchal is home to the Museum of the Madeira Wine Institute, which very much celebrates the island's rich tradition of wine making. Outside of Funchal and within the busy town of Machico, the Whale Museum is well worth making the effort to visit and is especially appealing for younger visitors.

Whale Museum (Museu da Baleia)

Address: 9200 Canical, Machico, Madeira, Portugal, PT
Tel: +351 091 961 407
The Whale Museum lies on the eastern side of Madeira and within the village known as Canical. Exhibits remember the island's past whaling industry and activities, which ceased in the early 1980s. Highlights include innumerable photographs of both whales and the whaling processes, many related models, a traditional fishing boat and a life-size replica of a humpback whale.
Open hours: Tuesday to Sunday - 10:00 to 12:00, 13:00 to 18:00
Admission: charge, seniors and children are free

Museum of Natural History (Museu de História Natural)

Address: Quinta do Bom Successo, Caminho do Meio, 9050 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, PT
Tel: +351 091 200 2000
The Museum of Natural History is better known to locals as the 'Museu de História Natural' and was established more than 25 years ago. Visitors will discover a profusion of local flora and fauna, much of which relates to the Madeiran Archipelago and is especially diverse. Always of interest is the petrified tree stump and insect collection.
Open hours: daily - 08:00 to 18:00
Admission: charge, discounts for children

'Casa da Luz' Electricity Museum (Museu de Electricidade)

Address: Rua Casa da Luz 2, 9050 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, PT
Tel: +351 091 233 900
A surprisingly interesting cultural attraction in Funchal, the 'Casa da Luz' Electricity Museum is located within the Zone Velha and was founded in the late 1990s, to commemorate the 100th year of electricity on the island of Madeira. Recently nominated for the European Museum of the Year Award, the Museu de Electricidade boasts impressive visitor numbers, which continue to rise. Exhibits are grouped into four main themed areas - the 'Lights of Funchal', 'A Century of Electricity' (1897 to 1997), the 'Sources of Energy' and also the 'Interactive Science and Technology Programmes'. State-of-the-art virtual reality adds extra visual impact, while the onsite auditorium regularly plays host to various shows, presentations, events and other performances.
Open hours: Tuesday to Sunday - 10:00 to 12:00, 14:00 to 18:00
Admission: charge

Museum of the Madeira Wine Institute (Instituto do Vinho da Madeira)

Address: Rua 5 de Outubro 78, 9000 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, PT
Tel: +351 091 224 600
All processes involved during the brewing and creation of its sherry-like drink are clearly explained at the Museum of the Madeira Wine Institute, both past and present. It is also possible to watch a demonstration of how wooden barrels are made, a tradition that has remained completely unchanged for literally decades, and is a truly skilled craft.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 09:30 to 12:00, 14:00 to 17:00
Admission: free

Quinta das Cruzes Museum (Cassia Museu Quinta das Cruzes)

Address: Calcada do Pico 1, 9000 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, PT
Tel: +351 091 741 382
The Quinta das Cruzes Museum also goes by the name of the Manor Estate of the Crosses Museum and first opened its doors in the early 1950s. Remaining one of Madeira's oldest attractions of its kind, the Cassia Museu Quinta das Cruzes boasts a wonderful collection of silver ware, as well as porcelain from Portugal and China, antique furnishings, and a rather intriguing archaeological garden, with commemorative tombstones from the 15th century onwards.
Open hours: Tuesday to Saturday - 10:00 to 12:30, 14:30 to 17:30
Admission: free

City of Sugar Museum (Núcleo Museológico A Cidade do Acucar)

Address: Camara Municipal do Funchal, Praca Colombo 5, 9000 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, PT
Tel: +351 091 236 910
Dedicated to the history of the importance of the island's early sugar cane plantations, the City of Sugar Museum can be found within Funchal and clearly illustrates the immediate wealth and prosperity that the sugar industry brought to Madeira over the years, from the 16th century. For some individuals, the sugar trade of the island brought with it fortunes, with none other than Christopher Columbus being directly involved with this business.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 10:00 to 12:30, 14:00 to 18:00
Admission: charge, discounts for seniors and children, students are free

Sao Francisco Cellars Wine Museum

Address: Adegas Sao Francisco, Avenida Arriaga 28, 9000 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, PT
Tel: +351 091 740 110F
Formerly serving the island as a monastery, the Sao Francisco Cellars Wine Museum is especially atmospheric and is centered around an attractive courtyard, graced by mature palm trees. Many artefacts relating to Madeira wine and its production are housed here, including a wooden wine press from the 17th century, and numerous period vats and measuring tools. Guided tours and video presentations will ensure that visitors make the very most of their time.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 10:30 to 15:30
Admission: free