Museu de História Natural do Funchal

• Indoors
• Ages 3-10
• Children free
• Just turn up

The city's own natural history collection in the Palácio de São Pedro on Rua da Mouraria: Madeiran birds, fish, fossils, monk seal material and a small basement aquarium.

This is the municipal museum in the city, not the regional one-room collection inside the Botanical Garden - they share almost the same name, have different hours and different prices, and visitors mix them up constantly. Expect Victorian-style cases rather than touchscreens: it rewards a child who likes looking at animals more than one who wants buttons. The basement aquarium is the hit with under-eights and there is an aromatic and medicinal plant garden attached for a break outdoors.

Worth knowing: Two closed days, Sunday and Monday. Under-11s go in free, so a family of four often pays under 10 € in total. There is no parking of its own - use the Mercado or Almirante Reis car parks.

Opening hours

Mon

closed

Tue

10:00-18:00

Wed

10:00-18:00

Thu

10:00-18:00

Fri

10:00-18:00

Sat

10:00-18:00

Sun

closed

Prices

Under-11s free. Youth from 11 and seniors 2.42 €, adult 4.63 € - the municipality's odd figures are its VAT-inclusive prices, quoted as published. Free on International Museum Day, 18 May, and World Tourism Day, 27 September.

Getting there

Prices and opening times change without notice, and on this island they change often. Everything here carries the date it was checked in our research notes; if a place has moved or closed, tell us and we will fix it.