Municipal Aquarium

Category: Civil Architecture > Museum

District: Madeira > Funchal > Funchal > São Pedro

Location

The Funchal Municipal Aquarium is located on the ground floor of the imposing São Pedro Palace, a remarkable example of Portuguese civil architecture, erected in the mid-18th century. This historic building, situated in the São Pedro area, in the center of Funchal, offers a unique setting for the discovery of marine life.

Its Roots and Purpose

The idea of creating a public aquarium in the Madeira archipelago began to take shape in the 1930s. However, it was only in the 1950s that the project came to life, largely thanks to the support and generosity of Charles L. Rolland, an American industrialist residing on the island who showed great appreciation for the local marine fauna. Under the technical guidance of Günther Maul, the curator of the museum then existing in the palace, the aquarium was inaugurated in phases starting in 1953, with the clear objective of presenting visitors with the richness and diversity of Madeira's coastal ecosystems.

Species from the Madeiran Coast

In this space, visitors have the opportunity to observe up close some of the most characteristic inhabitants of the waters bathing the island of Madeira. The various tanks were designed to display a variety of representative species of coastal marine fauna, from fish such as groupers, moray eels, salema porgies, and damselfish, to a diversity of invertebrates, including crabs, lobsters, shrimps, octopuses, whelks, starfish, and sea urchins. It is a living and accessible sample of what can be found in the surrounding ocean.

Maintenance of the Aquatic Environment

The preservation of aquatic environments and their inhabitants is a continuous and dedicated task. The responsible team ensures the renewal and health of the specimens on display, using capture methods that guarantee the well-being of the organisms. The seawater circulation system, in a closed loop, is carefully managed to replicate ideal conditions for aquatic life, while the artificial lighting in the tanks is selected to enhance the natural colors of the organisms, providing as authentic an observation as possible.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt