Banana Museum Reaches Monthly Average of 5800 Visitors

Museum Records 47,000 Visits by August 31, 2025, With Strong Daily Averages

The Banana Museum in Madeira has become one of the island’s most visited cultural spaces, attracting 47,000 visitors by the end of August 2025, according to RTP Madeira. This represents a strong increase compared to 2024, when the museum registered around 35,000 visits for the entire year. That accounts to an average of around 5,800 visitors per month (2024: around 3900 visitors per month) underlining its growing role in local tourism and education.

Banana Museum in Madeira Wins National Award for Digital Content Excellence

In the three years since it opened, the museum has been recognized nationally. It received the award for best museum in Portugal in the digital content category, as well as an honorable mention for its visitor engagement programs. Exhibits focus on the history and importance of Madeira’s banana production, with visitors praising the educational value.

It's very interesting, you learn a lot from the banana and I never knew all these things. And it was great, very good.

Banana Museum visitor, RTP Madeira

Coffee Shop, Bar and Local Crafts Help Ensure Financial Sustainability

The museum has also developed new revenue streams, making it self-sustaining. In addition to ticket sales, it operates a coffee shop, a bar serving banana-based desserts such as pies and cream cakes, and a merchandising store. Recently, it launched a partnership with Abordal to create a collection of Madeira embroidery inspired by banana culture. These efforts, management says, have guaranteed the museum’s long-term stability while promoting regional traditions.

Banana Production in 2025 Expected to Drop by About 2,000 Tons After Harsh Winter

While the museum thrives, banana farmers in Madeira face a different scenario. Production in 2024 reached 24,500 tons, but forecasts for 2025 suggest a decline of around 2,000 tons due to winter damage earlier this year. Even so, the outlook for farmers remains positive. The sector expects revenue to exceed €25 million, compared with last year’s €25 million total. As officials noted, “with less production, more money in the hands of farmers,” thanks to better prices for their crops.

Source: RTP Madeira, RTP Madeira