The Museum of Sacred Art is located in the former Paço Episcopal, a 16th century building, founded by D. Luís Figueiredo de Lemos and conceptualized by Jerónimo Jorge, master of royal works, who also contributed to the defenses of the city of Funchal. The Episcopal Palace was here until 1910, and from 1914 to 1943 the Liceu do Funchal was installed on the site. After the date of 1950, with the departure of the Liceu, the old Palace started to be transformed and adapted for installation of the Diocesan Museum.
The Museu de Arte Sacra was officially founded in 1955. The museum contains collections of painting, sculpture, jewelry and religious gowns, dating from the period between the 15th and 19th centuries.
The estate focuses mainly on Flemish Art, with painting, sculpture and jewelry, dated between the end of the 15th century and the first years of the 16th century and Portuguese Art, from the period between the 15th and 18th centuries.
In the part dedicated to Flemish Art, namely in painting, the altar pieces of the Descent from the Cross stand out, attributed to Gérard David, São Tiago, attributed to Dieric Bouts, Adoration of the Magi attributed to the Master of Adoration of Machico, The Annunciation and the Triptych of São Pedro, São Paulo and Santo André, attributed to Joos Van Cleve, or Maria Madalena, the Flyers of the Triptych of the Calheta Matrix attributed to Jan Provoost and the Triptych of Santiago Menor and São Filipe, attributed to Pieter de Coeck Van Aelst.
The part dedicated to Portuguese Art gives particular relevance to the painting Ecce Homo and the Ascension of Christ attributed to Fernão Gomes and dating from the 16th century.
Perhaps the most well-known part of the museum is the valuable collection of Flemish sculpture, especially from Malines and Antwerp, and the large paintings from the 15th and 16th centuries.
The jewelry collection, which originated in the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, is renowned, namely the processional cross of Água de Pena, dated from the 15th century, a tray and chalice with a punch from Antwerp, from the 16th century, as well like the processional cross, offered by D. Manuel I to the Cathedral of Funchal.
At the core of the vestments, most embroidered in gold and hue, the chasuble embroidered in gold on the gold llama of the Cathedral of Funchal stands out.
There is also an architectural space, the Torre Varanda Mirante built with the intention of observing the ships arriving and leaving the bay of Funchal. The Tower of the building of the Museu de Arte Sacra do Funchal was thus a space devoted to rest and contemplation of the landscape, mainly by the bishops who lived there even when the building was the Episcopal Palace. On the balcony there is a blue and white tile panel, typical of the production period of the Lisbon workshops, from the second part of the 18th century, with the allegorical representation of the Three "Theological" Virtues: Faith, Hope and Charity.
The ticket price is 7€, with special offers for groups, namely for teachers, students and tourism professionals.