The Whale Museum opened to the public in 1989 in the fishing village of Caniçal. The museum focuses on the history of whaling in the seas of the archipelago of Madeira.
In its most recent incarnation in a new space since September 2011, the museum contains an important ethnographic collection that retrieves utensils and past experiences, rigorously documenting the history of whaling in Madeira throughout the 20th century.
The museum's main mission is the preservation of heritage and historical knowledge about whaling in Madeira, the dissemination of knowledge about cetaceans and the ocean.
The museum is organized into functional units.
The Science Unit has offices and laboratories, a deposit for the reference biological collections, necropsy room, cold rooms and freezer chamber for animals. In this unit, biologists work on scientific research projects.
There is also the Educational Services section which has teaching materials on the sea and marine life.
The Commercial and Marketing Unit includes a set of spaces with commercial and advertising functions for the museum's mission.
Finally, the Museology and History Unit contains permanent exhibition rooms with two thematic areas: "The History of Whaling in Madeira" and "The cetaceans and marine life". This unit is responsible for depositing Museological collections, looking after artifacts and collecting new heritage elements.
The museum also displays life-size models of whales and dolphins and stereoscopic 3D films. You can also make a virtual visit to the Whale Museum and see the exhibits that are there.