Madeira Ethnographic Museum

The Madeira Ethnographic Museum is a project of the architect João Francisco Caires and, it opened in 1996.

It is a small museum that is devoted to the research, preservation and dissemination of the traditional culture of Madeira and is housed in the former mill and brandy distillery of Ribeira Brava to the west of Funchal.

The Museum’s collections focus on ethnography highlighting social, economic and cultural aspects of life in Madeira.

The permanent exhibition area is divided into themes: economic activities (fishing, production of wine, cereals and linen), transports, domestic life (kitchen and bedroom) and traditional shops such as the grocery store.

To promote knowledge of the regional ethnographic heritage, the space organizes guided tours and various educational activities targeting regional schools. This space has a store featuring cultural publications and examples of genuine Madeiran handcrafts.