Brazil is a country known for its vibrate culture and museums represent some of its culture. There are a lot of different kinds of Brazilian museums and at this article you will find a guide with a great variety of places to visit in Brazil, the opening hours, address and a brief description of each place. We gathered the best Brazilian museums to visit from art museums to the football (soccer) museum, you will have plenty of places to visit and learn more about our culture.
Brazilian Museum that was caught on fire
Brazil had 2 episodes of museums that were caught on fire. At the end of 2015, The Portuguese Language Museum (Museu da Língua Portuguesa) was caught on fire in São Paulo. At the time of the tragedy, a fireman was working there and died of a cardiorespiratory arrest.
The Civil Police reports that the investigation was completed and reported in June 2019, without indictment. Report from the Criminalistics Institute points out that the fire was caused by a defect in one of the spotlights. The good news is that the museum is opened to the public now and working regularly.
Brazilian Museum (Museu da Língua Portuguesa) Caught on Fire. Photo: g1.globo.com
The most recent tragedy in Brazil involving art in Brazil was at the National Museum in 2018. This Brazilian Museum burned down in 2018 in Rio de Janeiro. The museum was created in 1818, completed 200 years of existence in June and in September of 2018 was set on fire due to the abandonment and lack of maintenance at the old building.
Before it happened, the museum had a lot of problems such as leaks, infiltration and electric problems in the building. Some of the problems could be answered by the cut down in the museum’s budget that in 2013 was of 500.000,00 reais to 54.000,00 in 2019.
Brazilian National Museum burned down. Photo: r7.com
The Federal Police said the fire that destroyed the National Museum started in one of the air conditioning units located in the ground floor auditorium of the three-story building. However, it did not clarify whether there was a guilty (negligence) or willful (criminal, intent on causing damage) action.
According to UNESCO, it will take an estimate of 10 years to restore the Brazilian National Museum in Rio. The restoration will cost a lot of money and countries like Germany had already donated to the cause. Let’s hope that the museum will soon be opened to the public.
Museums in São Paulo
MUSEU DE ARTE DE SÃO PAULO ASSIS CHATEAUBRIAND – MASP
It is a private non-profit museum, founded in 1947, becoming the first modern museum in the country.
Address: Av. Paulista, 1578, São Paulo – SP
Opening Hours: Tue-Sun 10 am to 6pm
Thu – 10 am to 8pm
Phone: +55 (11) 3251-5644
The collection covers many aspects of African and African-Brazilian cultural universes, including topics such as religion, work, art, slavery.
Address: Av. Pedro Álvares Cabral, Portão 10 – Parque Ibirapuera, São Paulo – SP
Opening Hours: Tue-Sun 10 am to 5 pm
Phone: +55 (11) 3320-8900
MUSEU BRASILEIRO DA ESCULTURA E ECOLOGIA
It was created to promote art in its various segments, sculpture, painting, photography, graffiti, design, music, film.
Address: R. Alemanha, 221 – Jardim Europa, São Paulo – SP
Phone: +55 (11) 2594-2601
Opening Hours: Tue-Sum 10am to 7pm.
MUSEU DE ARTE CONTEMPORÂNEA DA UNIVERSIDADE DE SÃO PAULO – MAC
MAC USP has a collection of about 10,000 works, including paintings, prints, three-dimensional, photographs, conceptual art, objects and installations.
Address: Av. Pedro Álvares Cabral, 1301 – Ibirapuera, São Paulo – SP
Phone: +55 (11) 2648-0254
Opening Hours: Tue-Sun 10 am to 6 pm
MUSEU DE ARTE MODERNA DE SÃO PAULO – MAM
MAM’s mission is to collect, study, promote and spread knowledge of modern and contemporary Brazilian art, making it accessible to the greatest possible number of people.
Address: Av. Pedro Álvares Cabral, s/n°, São Paulo – SP
Phone: +55 (11) 5085-1300
Opening Hours: Tue-Sun 10am to 6pm
PINACOTECA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO
It covers the field of visual arts, especially the Brazilian production until the present, and administration of the Memorial da Resistência de São Paulo.
Address: Praça da Luz, 2 – Luz, São Paulo – SP
Phone: +55 (11) 3324-1000
Opening Hours: Wed-Mon 10am to 6pm
The technology of the Museum makes for an interactive experience that enchants even those who are not a fan of the sport.
Address: Praça Charles Miller, S/N, Estádio do Pacaembu, São Paulo, SP
Opening Hours: Tue-Fri, 9am to 4pm
Sat, Sun, holidays, 10am to 5pm
Phone: +55 (11) 3664-3848
MIS – MUSEU DA IMAGEM E DO SOM DE SÃO PAULO
MIS is a space that brings memory and contemporaneity, technical investigation and widening of access to art innovation to lively dialogue.
Address:Av. Europa, 158 – Jardim Europa, São Paulo – SP, 01449-000
Phone: +55 (11) 2117 4777
Opening Hours: Tue-Sat: 12pm to 9pm;
Sun, holidays, 11am to 8pm
First museum in Brazil dedicated to architecture and design, it holds a collection of Brazilian furniture from the 17th century to the present time.
Address: Av. Brg. Faria Lima, 2705 – Jardim Paulistano, São Paulo – SP
Phone: +55 (11) 3032-3727
Opening Hours: Tue-Sun 10am to 6pm
MUSEU DE ARTE SACRA DE SÃO PAULO
The São Paulo Museum of Sacred Art a museum dedicated to the collection and display of sacred art of Brazil.
Address: Av. Tiradentes, 676 – Luz, São Paulo – SP
Phone:+55 (11) 3326-3336
Opening Hours: Tue-Sun 9am to 5pm
MUSEU DE ANATOMIA HUMANA PROFESSOR ALFONSO BOVERO
There are about 1,500 parts, separated and cataloged according to the different systems and devices that make up the human body.
Address: Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 2415 – Butantã, São Paulo – SP
Phone: +55 (11) 3091-7360
Opening Hours: Tue-Fri· 2 to 4pm
Weekends 10am to 3pm
Its collection includes some pieces dating back to the 1920s, detailed paintings, sculptures and furniture made by prisoners in creative workshops prisons.
Address: Av. Zaki Narchi, 1207 – Carandiru, São Paulo – SP
Phone: +55 (11) 2221-0275
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 9am to 4pm
The history and evolution of the Portuguese language. There is a lot of slang and expressions from Portuguese that came from other languages. It is a very modern museum that will surprise you.
Address: Praça da Luz – Luz, São Paulo – SP, 01120-010.
Phone: (11) 3664-3859
Opening Hours: Mon-Thu 9am to 5pm
Fri 10am to 6,30pm
Sat 10am to 5pm
Sun 11am to 4pm
Museums in Rio de Janeiro
MUSEU DO AMANHÃ (TOMORROW’S MUSEUM)
The museum was projected by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. 230 milion Brazilian reais were invested in the building and there are a lot of different expositions that mainly brings thoughts on the changes that we are facing. You can experience exhibits that make you think and feel differently about technology and other themes.
Address: Praça Mauá, 1 – Centro. Rio de Janeiro, RJ. CEP: 20081-240
Phone: (21) 3812-1800
Opening Hours: Tue-Sun 10am to 6pm (last entrance at 5pm)
MUSEU DOM JOÃO VI – ESCOLA DE BELAS ARTES
The historical collection of the Fine Arts School is an important source for the study of Brazilian art from the nineteenth century.
Address: Av. Ipe, 550 – 7º andar, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 9am to 4pm
Phone: +55 (21) 2598-1997
MUSEU NACIONAL DA UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO RIO DE JANEIRO
The collection has more than 20 million items and covers zoology, archeology, ethnology, geology, paleontology and biological anthropology. They are temporarily closed due to the fire that destroyed the museum. It is being reconstructed.
Address: Quinta da Boa Vista – São Cristóvão, Rio de Janeiro – RJ
Phone: +55 (21) 3938-6900
It is closed. Opening Hours were: Tue-Sun· 10am to 4pm
Monday – 12pm to 4pm
MUSEU DE ARTE MODERNA DO RIO DE JANEIRO MAM-RIO
It holds a collection of visual arts, film and documents, including the arts collection of Gilberto Chateaubriand.
Address: Av Infante Dom Henrique, 85 – Parque do Flamengo, Rio de Janeiro – RJ
Phone:+55 (21) 3883-5600
Hours: Tue-Fri 12pm to 6pm
Sat, Sun, holidays – 12pm – 7pm
Walking through its galleries, visitors can glimpse, as in a few cultural centers of the country, the history of art in Brazil from its beginnings to contemporary times.
Address: Av. Rio Branco, 199 – Centro, Rio de Janeiro – RJ
Phone: +55 (21) 2219-8474 Hours: Tue-Fri 10am to 6pm
Weekends 12am to 5pm
SOLAR GRANDJEAN DE MONTIGNY – MUSEU UNIVERSITÁRIO
The museum was created in 1922, and has over 287,000 items, including the largest numismatic collection of Latin America.
Address: Praça Mal. Âncora, s/n – Centro, Rio de Janeiro – RJ
Phone: +55 (21) 3299.0324
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 10am to 5pm
Museums in Curitiba
It is a space dedicated to the exposure of visual arts, architecture, urbanism and design. It is shaped like an eye and it was named after the architect Oscar Niemeyer who projected the museum.
Address: R. Mal. Hermes, 999 – Centro Cívico, Curitiba – PR
Opening Hours: closed on Mondays · 10AM–6PM
Phone: +55 (41) 3350-4400
MUSEU DA IMAGEM E DO SOM – MIS
It has the main purpose is to preserve and conserve the audiovisual memory of Parana.
Address: R. Barão do Rio Branco, 395 – Curitiba – PR
Opening Hours: Tue-Fri – 9am to 5 pm
Sat, Sun and holidays – 10 am to 4 pm
Phone: +55 (41) 3351-6688
MUSEU DE ARTE CONTEMPORÂNEA DO PARANÁ – MAC
It was created to establish dialogue and strengthen ties between society and its artistic heritage.
Address: Rua Des Westphalen, 16 – Centro, Curitiba – PR
Opening Hours: Tue-Fri 10am-7pm
Sat, Sun and holidays – 10am to 4pm
Phone: +55 (41) 3222-5172
Built in a former railway station. Its facilities seek to replicate the operation of the last century.
Address: Av. Sete de Setembro, 2775 – Rebouças, Curitiba – PR. Located in: Shopping Estação
Opening Hours: Tue-Sat – 10am-6pm
Sun-11am-7pm
Phone:+55 (41) 3094-5344
With a collection of 600 pieces, including objects, Indian artifacts, coins, stones, insects, birds and butterflies, it was then the first in Paraná and the third in Brazil.
Address: R. Kellers, 289 – Alto São Francisco, Curitiba – PR
Opening Hours: Tue-Fri· 9am to 6pm
Weekends 10am to 4pm
Phone: +55 (41) 3304-3300
It seeks to disseminate and spread the historical participation of Brazil in World War II.
Address: Rua Comendador Macedo, 655 – Alto da XV, Curitiba – PR
Phone: +55 (41) 3362-8231
Hours: Weekends 1 to 5pm
Tue-Thu – 10am to 12pm, 1 to 5pm
MUSEU DO HOLOCAUSTO DE CURITIBA
It was the first of that theme in Brazil, aiming to keep alive the memory of the Holocaust.
Address: R. Cel. Agostinho Macedo, 248 – Bom Retiro, Curitiba – PR
Hours: Sunday 9AM–12PM Mon-Wed 8:3011:30am, 2:30–5:30pm; Fri 8:30-11:30AM
Phone: +55 (41) 3093-7461
Its permanent exhibition illustrates the electrification process in the State of Paraná.
Address: Rua Desembargador Motta, 2347 – Batel, Curitiba – PR, 80240-190
Phone: +55 (41) 3234-7314
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 08 to 12pm and 1 to 5pm
MUSEU DE HISTÓRIA NATURAL CAPÃO DA IMBUIA
It is one of the most complete documents of the natural history of Paraná.
Address: R. Prof. Nivaldo Braga, 1369 – Capão da Imbuia, Curitiba – PR
Phone: +55 (41) 3313-5482
Opening Hours: Tue-Sat 9am to 5pm
It has collection more than 800 items classified as objects of worship, vestments, etc.
Address: R. Dr. Claudino dos Santos, s/n – Largo da Ordem, Curitiba – PR
Phone:+55 (41) 3321-3265
Opening Hours: Tue-Fri – 9am-12pm and 1 to 6pm
Sat, Sun and holidays – 9am to 2pm
The public has the opportunity to be in contact with art and culture, through scenic and musical performances of different genres.
Address: Dr. Claudino dos Santos, 79 – São Francisco, Curitiba – PR
Phone: +55 (41) 3321-3313
Opening Hours: Tue-Fri· 9am to 6pm
Weekends 9am to 3pm
MUSEU UNIVERSITÁRIO
It has the mission of conservation, custody, research and promotion of pedagogical exhibitions from the museum collection.
Address: R. Imac. Conceição, 1155 – Prado Velho, Curitiba – PR
Phone: +55 (41) 3271-2356
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri – 8:30am to 12pm / 1 to 6pm
An overall on Brazilian Museums
There are museums for all people in Brazil ranging from classic art to the modern museums like the Portuguese Language one. There are even museums themed with history of other countries like the holocaust museum in Curitiba, for example. If you come to Brazil and you have no idea where to go, you could use this guide to visit a few places and learn more about the Brazilian culture.
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