Museu Etnográfico da Madeira

In the town of Ribeira Brava, on Madeira’s south coast, the Museu Etnográfico da Madeira is devoted to the island’s traditional life. Its collections document farming, fishing, crafts and the everyday objects of a rural society that has changed greatly over the past century.

Traditional life on the island

The museum was created to preserve the material culture of Madeira, from agricultural tools and fishing equipment to textiles, ceramics and domestic objects. Its displays explain the cycles of work that shaped the island, including the cultivation of sugar cane, vines and bananas.

What to see

• Agricultural and fishing tools and equipment.
• Textiles, embroidery and traditional crafts.
• Domestic life, ceramics and objects of daily use.
• Temporary exhibitions on the island’s heritage.

Visiting the museum

The museum is at Rua de São Francisco 24, 9350-211 Ribeira Brava, Madeira. It is open Tuesday to Friday, 09:30 to 17:00, and on Saturdays from 10:00 to 12:30 and 13:30 to 17:30; it is closed on Sundays, Mondays and public holidays.

Visitor information: museus.madeira.gov.pt.

Image credit: Museu Etnográfico da Madeira, Ribeira Brava, by Paulo SP/Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.