City of Sugar Museum

The Museum “A Cidade do Açúcar” (The City of Sugar), was established by the City Hall of Funchal and opened its doors to the public on October 12^th 1996. It is located at Columbus Square, between the streets “Rua do Sabão” and “Rua João Esmeraldo”, in the city’s historic center.

It is dedicated to the island’s sugar industry, which was rather active during the “White Gold Era”, a period between the fifteenth and nineteenth centuries, and which became known as one of the greatest times of the history and culture of Madeira Island.

The collection at the museum gathers archaeological finds from the excavations carried out at the Columbus Square in 1989, where the old houses of the Flemish merchant João Esmeraldo once existed, having been demolished in 1876.

Incredible fortunes were amassed by the early settlers and developers of the island that involved themselves with the sugar trade. The wealth created by these merchants helped build the physical structure of the island.

One such edifice of Funchal was the residence and home of "João Esmeraldo" - a Flemish settler that traded in sugar between Madeira and other parts of Europe. (The site of the current museum under discussion). The building was demolished in 1877. However, under the auspices of the city council efforts were made in 1989 to uncover the foundations of the building still recoverable. The museum holds an impressive collection of objects including tools, conical sugar moulds, sculpture, jewelry and furniture.

General data:

Museu A Cidade do Açúcar

Praça Colombo  5 

9000- 051 Funchal

Telephone: 291 236 910

Monday to Friday from 09:30 to 17:30

Closed on Weekends and Statutory Holidays

email: museu.acucar@cm-funchal.pt

http://www.facebook.com/Museu-A-Cidade-do-Açúcar

Tickets:

Normal - 3,86€

Persons over 65 and between 11 and 17 years of age - 1,86€

Educational services - FREE