Category: Civil Architecture > Museum
District: Açores > Ponta Delgada > Ponta Delgada > São Sebastião
Situated in the historic center of Ponta Delgada, in the São Sebastião area, the Carlos Machado Museum is housed in buildings of historical significance to the city.
Its central location allows for easy access during a stroll through the urban area, being integrated into the city's environment.
The Carlos Machado Museum is the oldest museological institution in the Azores. Its founding dates back to 1876, initiated by Carlos Machado, a naturalist who organized a natural history cabinet to support the Ponta Delgada Lyceum.
Over the years, the museum grew, expanding its collection beyond natural sciences, progressively integrating art and ethnography collections. In 1914, it was named after its founder in homage to his pioneering work.
Most of the museum's collections are housed in the old Convent of Santo André. This imposing building, whose history dates back to the 16th century, is considered one of the most remarkable examples of conventual architecture in the archipelago.
Despite the transformations it has undergone over the centuries, the convent preserves its original structure and its church, providing an environment rich in history and architecture for the visiting experience.
This core maintains the essence of the museum's initial collection, reflecting the 19th-century interest in natural sciences. The collection includes a variety of specimens, many of them from the Azores, covering areas such as zoology, botany, geology, and mineralogy.
It is possible to observe specimens of birds, fish, insects, plants, minerals, and rocks, some of which still bear the original labels from the museum's founding period.
The museum's art collection presents a panorama of artistic production, with a focus on painting and sculpture. It includes works by Azorean and Portuguese artists, representing various periods and styles.
The collection features works ranging from the late 18th century to contemporary art, allowing visitors to appreciate different approaches and themes over time.
This core is dedicated to preserving and exhibiting aspects of popular culture and traditional life in São Miguel. Visitors will find here a vast collection of objects related to rural activities, arts, and crafts.
The exhibition includes agricultural tools, fishing objects, and pottery, as well as recreations of typical domestic spaces of a rural Micaelense house, such as the kitchen and bedroom. It also showcases basketry, weaving, and other local crafts and knowledge.
Located in the former Church of the Jesuit College, an annex building of great architectural beauty, this core houses the museum's sacred art collection. The space, by itself, contributes to the exhibition's atmosphere.
The collection includes paintings, sculptures, and religious artifacts, with a focus on pieces that attest to the importance of sacred art in Azorean history and culture, covering different eras and styles.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 37.7433361,-25.667715
Coordinates DMS: 37°44'36.0"N 25°40'3.8"W
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