Museum of Natural History

Welcome to the Natural History Museum, where even the fossils have stories to tell! Step inside the splendid São Pedro Palace in Funchal, a masterpiece of 18th-century Portuguese architecture once home to the illustrious Carvalhal family.

Picture this: the 1st Count João José Xavier de Carvalhal Esmeraldo Vasconcelos de Atouguia Bettencourt Sá Machado (quite a mouthful, huh?) strutting around these halls back in the day. Fast forward to today, and you can still catch glimpses of their picnic parties in a painting by the talented Portuguese artist Tomás da Anunciação.

Now, this palace has seen more makeovers than a Hollywood starlet. From a fancy hotel to a posh college and even an international club hotspot, it's done it all! But these days, it's all about science, baby!

Originally, this joint was a mishmash of history, culture, and nature, but now it's all about that Natural History hustle. Started by a dude named Adolfo César de Noronha in 1929, it got a serious upgrade in 1953 with its very own aquarium, sponsored by some big shot named Charles L. Rolland. Dr. Gunter Maul, our resident marine biology genius, keeps the fishies in line down there.

And let's not forget about Dr. Maul's partner in crime, Dr. Gunter E. Maul, the taxidermy whiz. He's the reason we've got everything from fish to birds, mammals to insects, all neatly stuffed and mounted for your viewing pleasure. We're talking over 37,500 critters, people!

But hey, we're not just here to look pretty. We're all about that research life. Since 1945, we've been churning out the Bulletin of the Funchal Municipal Museum, spreading the word about Madeira's natural wonders far and wide. And for those groundbreaking discoveries, there's our Bocagiana journal, showcasing the latest and greatest finds from the Atlantic islands.

So, welcome to the Natural History Museum, where history meets science, and every exhibit has a tale to tell!