Madeira Ethnographic Museum

Located in the town of Ribeira Brava, the Madeira Ethnographic Museum allows visitors to go on a journey through the unique cultural wealth of this archipelago. With a vast collection, it is an essential knowledge centre on the west coast of the island.

This museum is housed in a property that belonged to the Convent of Santa Clara of Funchal in the early 17th century. After having several owners and undergoing several refurbishments, this building was eventually converted, in 1853, into an industrial unit. In 1862, an animal-drawn sugar-cane grinding mill and a brandy distilling alembic were set up there.

More than a century later, the facilities were sold to the Junta Geral do Distrito Autónomo do Funchal. Therefore, the Regional Government of Madeira decided to create here the Madeira Ethnographic Museum, inaugurated on 15 June 1996. This space was designed by architect João Francisco Caires, and its main mission, through research and documentation, is to preserve and promote the expressions of Madeira's culture and ethnography.

The permanent exhibition area of the Madeira Ethnographic Museum is organised according to the following themes: productive activities, transport, domestic units and traditional trade. Discover the cultural roots of this archipelago!