Museums in Rio de Janeiro: Learn About the Main Ones

Besides the lush beaches, trails, and nightlife options, bohemian Rio de Janeiro offers many opportunities for those who enjoy cultural life.

By visiting the museums in Rio de Janeiro, it is possible to learn about the city’s history, which was once the country’s capital, and appreciate the best modern art.

Know here the list of the 10 museums in the capital of Rio de Janeiro.

CENTRO CULTURAL BANCO DO BRASIL RIO DE JANEIRO (BANK OF BRAZIL CULTURAL CENTER)

The Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (CCBB) was inaugurated in 1989 and is considered one of the most important cultural centers in the country.

A tour is recommended for those who want to learn more about the national culture.

The building, located in downtown Rio and with historic architecture, offers several types of activities, including music, theater, cinema, and art exhibitions, besides a library and video library.

On the CCBB website, you can check the space’s schedule, available events, exhibitions, and artistic interventions.

In addition to the attractions available at the center, the site offers complete digital programming that includes 3D virtual exhibitions, podcasts, and lives.

Address: Rua Primeiro de Março, 66 – Centro
Business hours: Mondays from 9 am to 9 pm; Tuesdays closed; Wednesdays to Saturdays from 9 am to 9 pm and Sundays from 9 am to 8 pm
Admission: Free of charge
Telephone: (21) 3808-2020

MUSEU DE ARTE DO RIO (RIO ART MUSEUM)

The Rio Art Museum has its collection and works from Brazil’s best public and private collections.

With more than 10,000 square meters, the space has eight exhibition rooms.

Ideal for those who enjoy a more cultural tour on the weekends!

The well-known MAR is an interconnection between the Palacete Dom João VI and the neighboring building, which used to be the city’s bus terminal.

You can check the current exhibitions on the Museum’s website and plan your visit.

MAR also offers workshops and activities with interactive learning dynamics. Besides the MAR de Música, a project created in 2014 has already held 50 editions and aims to bring the musical language of the museum space.

Address: Praça Mauá, 5 – Downtown
Admission: Full price: R$20. Half-price: R$10. Admission is free on Tuesdays. Family ticket: On Sundays, a ticket for 4 people costs R$20.
Hours of operation: Tuesday through Sunday, from 10 am to 5 pm
Telephone: (55 21) 3031 2741

MUSEU DO AMANHÃ (MUSEUM OF TOMORROW)

The Museum of Tomorrow comprises a main exhibition narrative and parallel and temporary exhibitions.

Its main exhibition asks us how we will live and shape the planet in the next 50 years.

You can learn more about the narrative and pathways of the main exhibition by visiting the Museum of Tomorrow’s website and learn about the context of the exhibition even before your visit.

The site includes the LAA (Laboratório de Atividades do Amanhã – Tomorrow’s Activities Laboratory), an experimentation, prototyping, and innovation area at the Museum of Tomorrow.

The space’s portal defines the LAA as a platform for transdisciplinary connections of art, science, and technology that welcomes researchers and creative companies.

You can check the parallel exhibitions and activities program on the website and purchase tickets online.

Address: Praça Mauá, 1 – Centro
Admission: Full price: R$20. Half-entry: R$10.
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, from 10 am to 6 pm. The ticket office is open until 5 pm.

MUSEU NACIONAL DE BELAS ARTES (NATIONAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS)

The National Museum of Fine Arts offers visitors a collection that began in 1816, with unique pieces from the Royal Academy of Arts in Europe.

The space holds a collection of more than 10,000 works, including sculptures, paintings, drawings, photographs, and others.

You can check the current and temporary exhibitions on the website and plan to go with family or friends when it reopens!

Address: Avenida Rio Branco, 199 – Centro
Admission: Full price: R$8. Half-price: R$4. Admission is free on Sundays. Family ticket: R$8 for up to 4 members of the same family.
Hours: The museum is temporarily closed to restore its facade, skylights, and squares and implement the Fire and Panic Prevention Project (PPCIP) and is scheduled to reopen in early 2023.
Telephone: (21) 3299-0600

MUSEU HISTÓRICO NACIONAL (NATIONAL HISTORICAL MUSEUM)

Rio’s National Historical Museum has become the most important museum dedicated to the country’s history, occupying the architectural space of Ponta Calabouço with a collection of over 200,000 pieces, among works, objects, documents, and books.

The museum has various activities, seminars, lectures, and courses you can check on the site.

One great option for those looking for new hobbies and interested in culture, research, history, and art!

It also offers visitors galleries for long-term and temporary exhibitions, and a library specialized in Brazilian History, Art History, and Museology.

Address: Marechal Anchor Square, s/n – Center
Admission: Full price: R$10. Half-entry: R$5.
Hours: Tuesday through Friday, from 10 am to 5:30 pm;
Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from 1 pm to 5 pm.
Telephone: (21) 3299-0324

INSTITUTO MOREIRA SALLES (MOREIRA SALLES INSTITUTE)

The famous Moreira Salles Institute offers exhibitions, movies, and concerts and has a huge collection of photography, music, and literature.

The space, which has existed since 1999, is characterized by its 50’s architecture, with an open-air part filled with greenery and the magical view of Gávea.

It will surely bring beautiful photos and a lot of learning!

You can check the schedule on the site.

The research in the Moreira Salles Institute’s collections is open to the general public and interested professionals, with more than 40,000 photographs, besides almost 9,000  pieces from the digitalized Literature collection.

The IMS also has an online store selling books, DVDs, magazines, and photographs.

Address: Rua Marquês de São Vicente, 476 – Gávea
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday and holidays (except Mondays), from 11 am to 8 pm.
Admission: Free of charge
Telephone: (55 21) 3284-7400

MUSEU DO ÍNDIO (MUSEUM OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES)

The Museu do Índio comprises several spaces, such as the Casarão Central, the Espaço Muro do Museu, and the Museum Garden, and a rich collection of indigenous societies, with about 17,000 ethnographic pieces and more than 15,000 national and foreign publications.

The museum belongs to the National Indian Foundation, Funai, and seeks to contribute to the awareness of the importance of indigenous cultures.

You can check the museum’s virtual exhibits on its website.

Address: Rua das Palmeiras, 55 – Botafogo
Hours: The museum is temporarily closed for construction and will open in early 2023.
Admission: Free of charge
Telephone: (21) 3214-8730

MUSEU DE ARTE MODERNA DO RIO DE JANEIRO (RIO DE JANEIRO’S MUSEUM OF MODERN ART)

The Modern Art Museum of Rio (MAM) is one of the country’s important modern and contemporary art cultural centers.

With a collection of approximately 12,000 works among Brazilian and international artists, the space has more than 15,000 volumes of books in its library and almost 100,000 photographs.

You can download the MAM’s monthly schedule by accessing the site and playing with family and friends to decide the best day for the tour.

In addition, you can take a 3D virtual tour.

The MAM also houses the so-called “Memory Center”, which gathers the most diverse information on the national art for enthusiasts and scholars of the area.

Address: Avenida Infante Dom Henrique, 85 – Parque do Flamengo
Admission: Full price R$14. Half-price: R$7.
Hours of operation: Tuesday through Friday, from 12 pm to 6 pm; Saturday, Sunday, and holidays, from 12 pm to 7 pm. The ticket office closes 30 minutes before the end of visiting hours.
Telephone: (21) 3883-5600

MUSEU HISTÓRICO DO EXÉRCITO E FORTE DE COPACABANA (ARMY HISTORICAL MUSEUM AND COPACABANA FORT)

Located on Copacabana beach, the Army Historical Museum and Fort is one of the most visited museums in the city and aims to preserve the memory of the National Army.

The museum has a collection of 15,000 pieces, including clothing, armaments, and rare military personal objects.

When you walk along the Copacabana beachfront, take the opportunity to visit the museum!

Among the permanent exhibits are the Colony Hall, Republic Hall, Military Presidents Hall, and Fortification Hall, which feature rare and important pieces of national military history.

You can see the Museum’s schedule on the website to check out the temporary exhibitions and the photo gallery of the space.

Address: Coronel Eugênio Franco Square, 1 Posto 6 – Copacabana
Admission: Adults: R$6. Students from public and private schools, seniors over 60 years old, and teachers: R$3. Free admission on Tuesdays and from 6 pm to 7:30 pm.
Business hours: Tuesdays to Sundays and holidays, from 10 am to 6 pm.
Telephone: (21) 2522-4460

MUSEU DE ARTE CONTEMPORÂNEA DE NITERÓI (CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM OF NITERÓI)

Designed in Guanabara Bay by renowned architect Oscar Niemeyer, the famous Museum of Contemporary Art of Niterói is considered one of the most emblematic museums in the marvelous city.

The collection includes 1217 works from the João Sattamini Collection and 369 works from the MAC Niterói Collection, formed from donations by artists who have exhibited in the museum.

The Museum of Niterói is very well located, with a beautiful city view. Take the opportunity to include this tour in your kids’ vacations! Check its website.

Address: Mirante da Boa Viagem, s/nº, Boa Viagem – Niterói
Admission: Full price: R$10. Half price: R$5. Free entrance on Tuesdays.
Hours: Tuesdays to Sundays, from 10 am to 6 pm

With information from Quinto Andar