>> Museums <<

Modern Art Museum
Inaugurated in 1958, the Modern Art Museum has a very unusual history. It has a privileged location on Flamengo Park alongside Guanabara Bay, close to downtown. After a disastrous fire in 1978, hundreds of people all over the world flocked to rebuild this cultural treasure, helping repair the building (130 meters x 25 meters) and replace its collections. It currently houses some 1,700 works including paintings, sculptures and engravings by Brazilian and foreign artists, in addition to a specialized art library and a well-known cinemathèque that is among the most popular in town.

National History Museum
In an harmonious architectural complex this museum was established in 1922 during the Epitácio Pessoa Government. Covering an area of 18.000m², the National History Museum is housed in three separate buildings constructed at different times: the Casa do Trem (1762); the Royal Arsenal (1822); and the Barracks Annex (1835). Once set right on the

seafront, it was originally planned as a strategic factor in the defense of the city. Today it is home to a priceless cultural treasure trove.

International Primitive Art Museum
Rio is home to the world's largest and most complete collection of primitive art. Just fifty meters from the mini-train station leading to Christ the Redeemer in the Cosme Velho District, 8,000 works by painters from Brazil and 130 other countries give testimony to this spontaneous and very unacademic type of artistic expression, dating back to the XV Century. This museum also features the largest canvas ever painted in this style, measuring 7 x 4 meters, which portrays the City of Rio de Janeiro in a strikingly original way. It also offers a dynamic cultural program that attracts a steady flow of interested visitors.

Chácara do Céu Museum
Once the home of art collector and industrialist Raymundo Ottoni de Castro Maya, the Chácara do Céu Museum in Santa Teresa links art, history and nature

in flawless harmony. Home to a large collection of books, as well as paintings, ceramics, furniture and objets d'art, outstanding items include works by artists such as Picasso, Matisse, Dali, Miró, Marcoussis, Di Cavalcanti, and Portinari, as well as a large collection of watercolors and drawings by Debret.

Rio de Janeiro Municipal Theater
Located near the National Library, the National Fine Arts Museum and the Pedro Ernesto Palace, the Municipal Theatre faces the spacious Cinelândia Square. Its attractive architectural design catches the eye, with its imposing facade, paralleled by the beauty of its interior decoration. Built of fine colored Carrara marble, bronze and onyx, it is outfitted with mirrors and period furniture, paintings and sculptures. Seating 2,200 people, this theater is a true temple of culture that is just as popular with visitors as the performances staged here.

Maracanã Soccer Stadium
Inaugurated in June 1950, the world's largest sports stadium still retains all the glamour that makes it a landmark and an irresistible attraction for visitors to Rio. The stage of memorable moments such as Pelé's 1,000th goal, Maracanã also hosted mega-concerts by Frank Sinatra and Paul McCartney, drawing huge audiences of over 180,000 which made the Guinness Book of Records. More recent and no less important was the

Meeting with Families during Pope John Paul II's last visit to Brazil. With this impressive track-record, Maracanã leaves a lasting impression, thanks to its sheer size, style and beauty. This monument to sport is open for visits almost every day at various times.

Catete Palace & Republic Museum
The seat of Brazil's Republican Government from 1897 through 1960, the neo classical facade of the Catete Palace is faced with granite and pink marble, its gateways framed in white marble. No less than eighteen presidents of Brazil have passed through its doors, and some of the most important events in the nation's history have taken place here, including decisions to fight in both World Wars and the suicide of President Getúlio Vargas.

Transformed into a museum after the Federal Capital moved to Brasilia, this palace today features a busy cultural agenda, in addition to a bookstore, bar, restaurant and souvenir boutique. Its attractive gardens offer moments of peace during the day, and a venue for pleasant evening strolls.

Banco do Brasil Cultural Center
Built in 1880, the Banco do Brasil Cultural Center once served as the head offices of both this bank and the Rio de Janeiro Commercial Association. In 1989 it was converted into a cultural center, that today consists of two theaters, four exhibition halls, a computerized library with over 100,000 volumes, an auditorium,video rooms and a movie theater. In addition to its tasteful architecture, the Banco do Brasil Cultural Center offers a packed schedule of programs that should not be missed by visitors eager to savor a wide variety of cultural offerings.