Museu de História Natural do Funchal

Madeira’s natural history museum brings together the plants, animals and rocks of the island and the wider Atlantic. Housed in a historic building in the centre of Funchal, it is one of the oldest museums in Madeira and a good introduction to the island’s unusual wildlife.

The natural history of an island

The museum’s collections cover zoology, botany, geology and marine life, with an emphasis on the species found in the Madeira archipelago and the waters around it. Its displays explain how isolation has shaped the island’s flora and fauna, and it hosts temporary exhibitions on science and the environment.

What to see

• Collections on the wildlife of Madeira and the Atlantic.
• Marine life and the biodiversity of the archipelago.
• Geology and the volcanic origins of the islands.
• Temporary exhibitions on science and the environment.

Visiting the museum

The museum is in the centre of Funchal. Opening hours are published by the regional culture service, so check the official website before your visit.

Visitor information: museus.madeira.gov.pt.

Image credit: Museu de História Natural do Funchal, by GualdimG, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.