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Although the Museu itself is housed in the ancient convent of Santo Andre, for just a bit more you get access to three separate museums located near each other in one of oldest parts of the city, an outstanding bargain. For some reason these magnificent museums are largely missing from guidebooks and tourist recommendations. Our first stop was the convent (where we purchased admission to all three sites), which provides a fascinating glimpse into the lives of cloistered nuns on this already remote island. The convent itself has been beautifully restored and dates back to the 16th c. (It also houses a rather odd – and old -- collection of stuffed animals and dried insects.) Second stop was the museum housing the work of Sao Miguel's greatest contemporary artist, Ernesto Canto da Maya. While you might find the display itself a bit underwhelming, if you’re lucky you’ll meet gallery docent Daniel Fernandez, who took the time to give us insight into the life and work of this sculptor and the intellectual and cultural community he helped found in mid-20th c Porta Delgada. He also insisted we not miss the Museum of Sacred Art nearby, which, given the rather dry title, we might have otherwise overlooked. But because of Daniel's enthusiasm, we made a point of visiting the next day, and that was one of the high points of our entire stay. While there is indeed a small display of sacred art, we were totally unprepared for the spectacular Igreja do Colegio where the collection is housed and its magnificent carved altar, truly one of the most awe-inspiring works of art I've ever seen. Here museum director Pedro generously explained the church and its Jesuit origins as well as help us put this masterpiece into its historical and cultural context. The name of Grinling Gibbons, the great carver that oversaw the friezes in St Paul's, is world famous, but you will leave marveling at the work of the nameless Azorean master carvers who completed this astonishing piece of work on a small island in the middle of the Atlantic at about the same time Gibbons was working in London. Don't miss it.…
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Date of experience: February 2020
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This Museum is really a very old church. The altar is intricately carved in wood. There are beautiful tiled images along both sides of the altar. It is an easy walk from the main Ponta Delgada city centre. There are also religious artifacts and paintings that are also worth seeing. It is truly a cultural gem.…
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Date of experience: August 2019
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My husband and I visited here on a rainy day in October. I knew about the wood carved altar, but literally our jaws dropped when we stood in front of it. It's one of the most impressive things I've ever seen. You just have to go and see it for yourself. We did not explore the entire Museu Carlos Machado, just the convent church. There's a separate admission price if you just want to go to this part (cheap, 2 or maybe 3 euro?) There are a few other areas within the church with some religious artifacts and painting that are also worth seeing. The location of the church is just up the street from where tripadvisor shows the location of the museu carlos machado.…
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Date of experience: October 2019
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This church is part of a 3 building museum ticket just above the city center with a 5 minute walk and next to a park and a library. What a beautiful building on the outside but the artwork inside and mostly the chapel were stunning. Don’t miss this location, the carving required for the church were incredible. It can be seen in less than 30 minutes, but make sure to visit the other 2 museums down the street on the same ticket. The cost for the 3 locations (we are retired and 2 people) the total was 5 Euros. Generally 5 euros per person unless you meet the other requirements (teacher, student, older, retired, or have an local id). …
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Date of experience: October 2019
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This was an excellent experience. We were surprised at the astonishing and spectacular altar. This visit is highly recommended as it is a 'cultural gem'.
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Date of experience: August 2019
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