Francisco Franco
A sculptor whose work stands in Lisbon's squares — you may have seen it without knowing the name.
A museum devoted to two Madeiran brothers, the painter Henrique Franco and the sculptor Francisco Franco, among the leading names in Portuguese art of the first half of the twentieth century. Francisco Franco is the better known: a sculptor whose work stands in squares and public buildings in Lisbon and across Portugal, including pieces you will recognise if you have visited the capital. The museum shows his sculptures, casts and preparatory drawings alongside his brother Henrique's paintings. The value here is primarily local: this is a small museum about two sons of the island who succeeded in the capital, and part of how Madeira tells its own story. Anyone interested in sculpture or Portuguese art will enjoy it; anyone looking for an international collection will not find one. The museum is small and the visit under an hour, and entry is nominal. Add it if you are in the area with time to spare rather than planning around it.
A sculptor whose work stands in Lisbon's squares — you may have seen it without knowing the name.
Preparatory models beside finished works explain how a sculpture is made.
A museum about two Madeirans who succeeded in the capital — its value is primarily local.
Rua João de Deus, Funchal
Funchal Old Town & the Painted DoorsFunchal's old town is Madeira's beating heart: the Zona Velha fishermen's quarte4 minutes walk4.5
Casa da Luz Electricity MuseumFunchal's electricity museum, inside Madeira's first power station, preserved wi5 minutes walk4.5
The Farmers' Market (Lavradores)The Lavradores is Madeira's coloured stomach: a 1940 Art Deco market behind a bl6 minutes walk4.0
The Monte Cable Car & Wicker ToboggansMonte is Funchal's complete rite: the cable car lifts you from the old town 560 8 minutes walk4.6
Photographia Museu VicentesA museum in a photographic studio that operated in Funchal continuously from 1869 minutes walk4.6Not as a priority. On a few days in Madeira the Levada das 25 Fontes, Cabo Girão, Pico do Arieiro, the Monte cable car and the botanical garden clearly come first. This is a small museum for anyone with spare time or a specific interest in sculpture.
The Vicentes photography museum is more distinctive because it is a studio preserved as it was, and Quinta das Cruzes has a broader collection. If you have time for one museum in the centre, either comes first.