Rio de Janeiro: Museums

National Museum of Fine Arts

The permanent collection has over 10,000 paintings and works of art by Brazilian artists from the late 17th century to present day. Of the international pieces, the African collection is highly recommended. The museum in Rio de Janeiro hosts exhibits from all over the world. The building itself is French Renaissance and adds to the beauty of the collection. This is a must-see on your visit to Rio de Janeiro. The most important gallery is the Galeria de Arte Brasileira, with 20th century classics such as Cândido Portinari's Café. There are also galleries with foreign art (not terribly good) and contemporary exhibits.

At Avenida Rio Branco 199 the museum is open Tuesday to Friday from 10 am to 6 pm; and Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 2 to 6 pm. Admission is US$1 (free on Sunday). Take any of the city-bound buses and get off near Avenida Rio Branco, or take the metrô to Carioca station.

National Museum

Situated in the mansion of the former imperial family at Quinta da Boa Vista, it is part of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.

There are many interesting exhibits: dinosaur fossils, saber-toothed tiger skeletons, beautiful pieces of pre-Columbian ceramics from the littoral and planalto of Peru, a huge meteorite, hundreds of stuffed birds, mammals and fish, gory displays of tropical diseases and exhibits on the peoples of Brazil. The last of these are the most interesting. In addition to a great collection of exhibits, the park itself is well worth the visit.

The museum is at the Quinta da Boa Vista and is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm. Admission is US$3 (free on Thursday). To get there from Centro take the metrô to São Cristóvão or bus No 472 or 474; from the zona sul take bus No 472 or 474 as well.

National History Museum

This is one of the most important museums not only in Rio de Janeiro, but in Brazil as well. Restored in 1985, this former colonial arsenal is dedicated to the preservation and study of Brazilian history, the collection of objects and pieces of art are housed in various colonial buildings located in downtown Rio de Janeiro. In addition to 250,000 artifacts, there is a library and historical archive. There is something for everyone, such as cars, sculptures, artillery, and rare manuscripts.The museum is near the bay at Praça Marechal Âncora. lt's open Tuesday to Friday from 10 am to 5.30 pm, weekends from 2 to 6 pm. Admission is US$1 (free on Sunday).

Edson Carneiro museum

The small Edson Carneiro museum (Ph. no. 285- 0441) should not be missed - especially if you're staying nearby in the Catete/Flamengo area of Rio de Janeiro. It has excellent displays of folk art - probably Brazil's richest artistic tradition - a folklore library, and a small craft shop with some wonderful crafts, books and folk records at cheap prices. The museum is next to the grounds of the Palácio do Catete. The address is Rua do Catete 181, Catete, and it's open Tuesday to Friday from 11 am to 6 pm, and Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 3 to 6 pm. Entry is free.

Carmen Miranda Museum

One of Brazil's most famous personalities, she became well-known internationally. Carmen, of course, was Hollywood's "Brazilian Bombshell", although she was actually born in Portugal. She made it to Hollywood in the 1940s and has become a cult figure in Rio. During Carnival hundreds of men dress up as Carmen Miranda look a likes. The museum is filled with Carmen memorabilia and paraphernalia, including her dresses, shoes, photos, advertisements, records, videos, scripts, and of course, her signature hats! Entry is US$1. The museum is located in Flamengo Park, not far from the Museum of Modern Art and is open Monday to Friday from 11 am to 5 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 pm.

Museum of Modern Art

One of the newer museums in Rio de Janeiro, it was created in 1948. Located in the downtown area at the Flamengo Park, it houses over 4,000 contemporary works from Brazilian artists and over 2,000 pieces by foreign artists. After the museum was destroyed by fire in 1978, hundreds of people from all over the world helped to replace the collection. The specialized art library and the cinema are two of the most popular sections. It's open Tuesday to Sunday from noon to 8 pm. The entry fee is US$5.

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