The Photography – Museum ‘Vicentes’ is located in the former photographic studio property of Vicente Gomes da Silva (1827-1906), who began his activity around 1853 as a portrait photographer.

In 1865, Vicente Gomes da Silva buys the building located at Rua da Carreira, where he starts his ‘photographic atelier’.

Between December 1886 and August of 1887, under Vicente Gomes da Silva and his son, Vicente junior (1857-1933), directions, take place the construction works to enlarge the old atelier. The building holds up until today as an architecture symbol of the photographic ateliers from the 20th century.

Along the years four generations of the ‘Vicentes’ family had passed trough the studio and they have always transmitted to the next generations the ‘art of photographing’.

On June 13th 1979, Madeira’s Government acquires all the assets of the Photography ‘Vicentes’ studio, adjusting the space in order to create a Museological facility.

The Photography – Museum ‘Vicentes’, opens on the 22nd of June, 1982 with most of the studio assets, including sceneries, cameras, books about photographic techniques, atelier furniture and around 400 thousand negative proofs dated back from 1870 to 1978 (these are registered in 47 books and represent an historical and rich source for the Island’s trading activities, a precious source of information about the famous and noble visitors we had in the Island and is also important for the genealogy study of Madeiran families).

Since its opening, the Vicente's collection has been enriched through purchases and donations from other collections, and from professional and amateur photographers. Presently, its photographic archives have around 800 thousand negative proofs.

It is also part of the Photography – Museum ‘Vicentes’ collections, a museological nucleus dedicated to cinema. The assets that used to belong to the former ‘Madeira Tourism Delegation’, presently know by ‘Tourism Administration’, are likewise part of the ‘Vicentes’ collection.

The building where the Photography – Museum ‘Vicentes’ is located was classified as being Patrimony of ‘Regional Cultural Value’ by the Resolution n. º 78/91 from January 24th, with the subsequent changes of the Decree n.º 34/2004 from March 1st , classifying it as ‘Building of Public Interest’.

Director:
Maria Helena Araújo

Address:
Rua da Carreira, 43 – 1º Apartado 348
9001 – 904 Funchal – Madeira

Telephone: 
00 351 291 22 50 50

Fax:
00 351 291 22 87 24

E-mail: photographia.vicentes.drac.srec@gov-madeira.pt

Web-site: www.photographiamuseuvicentes.com.pt http://www.cinemedia-mac.com http://www.mediat-mac.com/

Opening hours:
The museum is closed until the 12th of April.

Admission tickets:
Regular ticket – 2,50 Euro
Pensioners and Youngster Cards – 1,00 Euro
Group Tickets (Minimum: 6 Persons) – 2,00 Euros
Free Admission for children, teachers, journalists ICOM (International Council of Museums) and APOM – (Portuguese Museums Association), or other museum associations.

Means of transport: 
The museum is located in the hearth of Funchal and it is a short walk from the city centre.