Location: Madeira
Top Things to do in Madeira
The 10 Best Museums in Madeira, Madeira Islands
Breezy Madeira is an eponymous island in the Madeira Islands, a Portuguese archipelago. The capital city of Funchal was settled in the 15th century and is a colorful collection of gardens, religious sites, and quirky tourist attractions like the thatched-roof Madeira Story Centre. Hike to the summit of Pico Ruivo and you’ll feel like you’ve climbed through the clouds. Unwind over a glass of Madeira wine, an historic fortified beverage that’s musky and subtly sweet.
Restaurants in Madeira
1. Caravel Art Center
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 223 reviews
The biggest International Art Center, Gallery and Art shop based on Madeira island with worldwide delivery. We work as an art residence with Portuguese and foreign artists, representing their interests far beyond our island. We also work with several Portuguese ceramists to highlight their contemporary take on traditional Portuguese ceramics. You can get to know the artists by visiting the page ART RESIDENTS and our BLOG. See the CURRENT STOCK section for collections and works available now. All artworks are unique and have original certificate of authenticity The shop is open every day, except Sunday . The gallery is open from Monday to Friday and temporarily from 10 to 5 pm.
Reviewed By OlgaO
We had a wonderful art workshop in Caravel - this was a great chance for us to try watercolors painting, without any prior experience. The atmosphere in Caravel is very inspiring, waking up your creativity. We draw nice paintings and each of us was quite surprised with her own talent ;) Also at the back of the building they have a lovely shop with little masterpieces of ceramics, paintings, and other art. Just inside this shop it's easy to spend half-hour or more - and the biggest challenge is to choose what to buy without buying everything ;-) Thank you very much for this experience and I wish you a lot of success!
2. Madeira Optics Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 42 reviews
Exhibition of more than 2000 cameras, projectors, telescopes, binoculars and other things optical, from years 1700 to 2000.
Reviewed By honestandfair1966 - Scarborough, United Kingdom
In the ???? of Funchal hundreds of vintage cameras, binoculars, telescopes, all from private collection... a must-visit for everyone interested in photography and film. The exhibition area is spread over two floors, and a coffee/foyer/small antique shop. Upstairs you get to watch a melange of private video clips depicting Madeira from '50s onwards. Just brill! I only wish the ever-growing collection gets all support from local authorities as it is obvious the museum is in need of constant maintenance and expansion! Madeira should be proud to have such a gem of the place! It's places like this museum that make all the difference for a tourist hungry for cultural food!
3. The Museum of Contemporary Art
4. 3d Fun Art Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 86 reviews
A space for everyone where you can not only become part of 3D art, but also dive for a moment into a world of optical illusions!
Reviewed By MoleyPembrokeshire
Great fun, from young to old there is something for everyone, the memories and photos to take home with you. Lovely friendly and very helpful staff.. Hours of fun. ????
5. Rota da Cal
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 18 reviews
6. Museu Henrique e Francisco Franco
7. Ethnographic Museum
8. Universo de Memorias Joao Carlos Abreu
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 219 reviews
Reviewed By AHugh
The Universo de Memorias João Carlos Abrue, an amazing collection of mementoes collected throughout his life as journalist, traveller, poet, writer, politician, actor and artist on trips to different countries around the world. Unfortunately photography wasn't allowed on this tour, however, if you're ever in Madeira it's well worth a visit, an absolutely amazing collection of objects, jewellery and art. Tours are on the hour from 10am to 4pm. We arrived half an hour early for a coffee and patinga scone in the tea room which were delicious. The tangerine cake looked lovely too. Staff were very helpful and friendly. Will be back for both
9. Museu de Fotografia da Madeira - Atelier Vicente's
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 15 reviews
The Madeira Museum of Photography - Atelier Vicente's is based on a nineteenth-century photography studio, which has gone through four generations of the same family. Originally acquired in 1865 by Vicente Gomes da Silva (1827-1906), survives complete with all his equipment, cameras, books, sets, furniture and with a unique photographic heritage of several families who posed at his studio. Currently, the collection includes, besides Vicente’s assets, the work of other professional and amateur photographers such as João António Bianchi, Viscount Vale Paraíso (1862–1928); Charles Courtney Shaw (1878–1971); Gino Romoli (1906–1982); João Francisco Camacho (1833-1898); Perestrellos Photographos (1890-1998); Alexander Lamont Henderson (1838–1907) and Joaquim Augusto de Sousa (1853–1905) to name a few. It also presents the history of photographic processes, from the daguerreotype to the first color photographs, including the magic lantern devices and stereoscopy.
Reviewed By DeeganLancashire
At last this old building has been restored. Wonderful architectural features, iron balconies and mahogany grand staircase . Many portraits of the family who owned the house plus all the portraits of various clients which were endless. The old black and white film of Madeira and the residents going about their daily chores was fascinating. Well worth the 3 euros entrance fee.
10. MIM - Museu de Imprensa Madeira
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 18 reviews
The collection of the museum gathers about four dozen machines with a major typographic, lithographic, cinematic heritage, and another compilation related with Media and Communication, which features some original equipment and machines from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Reviewed By Alderado - Blackpool, United Kingdom
Found at the far side of Camara de Lobos, this printing press museum was relatively cheap to enter. Really good value. As you enter the building, you go down a level and someone should be there at a desk. The staff were lovely and were happy to introduce us to the building and what the museum had to offer. To start, there was a short presentation. Then the top level of the place is looked at before heading downstairs to look at the amazing machinery from days gone by. Some really interesting stuff. Towards the end, there is a video you can watch which shows a printing process. There are toilets available in the building too which were clean and tidy. Overall, a very nice museum with lots to look at.
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