Location: Rio de Janeiro
Top Things to do in Rio de Janeiro
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The 10 Best Specialty Museums in Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro (RJ)
With its plentiful beaches, dramatic mountains, and backdrop of samba and bossa nova rhythms, it's easy to fall in love with Rio de Janeiro. Made famous in song, Ipanema Beach is still the place to stroll, sunbathe, and be seen. The largest Art Deco statue in the world, Christ the Redeemer, beckons visitors to Corcovado Mountain. Rio’s annual Carnaval celebrations are bacchanalian extravaganzas of feasting, music, dance, and costumed revelry.
Restaurants in Rio de Janeiro
1. Museu de Favela
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 29 reviews
The Museu de Favela (MUF) is a private community-based non-governmental organization, founded in 2008 by local residents that were cultural leaders of the Pavao, Pavaozinho and Cantagalo favelas. At this first territorial and alive museum about Favela’s memories and cultural heritage in the world, its collection has about 25,000 residents and their lifestyle, narratives of an important and unknown part of Rio de Janeiro’s history. The territorial museum is located above the steep slopes of Cantagalo’s mountain range, among Ipanema, Copacabana and Lagoa, at Rio de Janeiro’s south zone, in Brazil. It has an area of about 30ft² . Its natural heritage gathers the Atlantic Forest and remarkable panoramic views among the most astonishing views of Rio de Janeiro. The future view is transforming Pavao, Pavaozinho e Cantagalo into a Rio de Janeiro’s touristic monument of Favela’s history, of Samba’s cultural origin, of the north-eastern immigrant and a rich collection of culture and lifestyle
Reviewed By HugoD89 - London, United Kingdom
Visited in September 2019. Very insightful and an experience you dont want to miss out on! We phoned up and arranged to the visit ahead of time (don’t just turn up, phone ahead to book!) we then met up with ‘Tartaruga’ our guide. He has grown up in the favelas you visit and has a wealth of information and experiences to share along the tour. We were also joined by Liz who spoke very good English and translated for us. The tour was very enjoyable, safe and you learn a lot about the history and the politics for the people living within the community. Photographs are ok too but ask Tartaruga before you start taking photo’s as you have to respect the peoples privacy that live within the community and some people may not be happy with you taking their photo. I would 100% do the tour again and recommend it to anyone visiting Rio! Tartaruga and Liz were very friendly and knowledgable. The tour gives you an insight into the good and bad of the favelas. Walking around you sense a very strong bond within the community and you learn about what is being achieved by the people living within it, and on the flip side, you also see the poverty and gang culture aspects of the favelas. This was probably the most interesting and memorable tour I’ve done anywhere. Highly recommend! Tartaruga e Liz, obrigado! Hugo & Ruth
2. Museu Nacional De Belas Artes
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 960 reviews
Inside this French Renaissance-style building is a collection of paintings by Brazil's finest contemporary artists as well as an impressive array of folk and African art.
Reviewed By gizelm
I returned to this museum after many years and my previous impression remains: this is an important place if you want to understand the history of Brazilian academic and artistic life. On the ground floor you will find the temporary exhibitions and on the top floor you will see the classic, more academic works. It is important to remember that the building housed the fine arts school and once you acknowledge that you will appreciate the large halls and the high ceilings as well as the paintings. A visit to this museum, the Municipal theater and the National library make it for a cultural day in the city center.
3. Museu da Republica
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,240 reviews
Transformed from palace to presidential residence in 1889 with the overthrow of the monarchy, this granite and marble building has striking floors and ceilings and houses a museum with presidential memorabilia, furniture and art.
4. Church of Our Lady of the Glory of the Outeiro
5. Museu do Acude
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 93 reviews
6. Instituto Moreira Salles - IMS Rio
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,102 reviews
High up in the Gávea neighborhood and surrounded by the lush Floresta da Tijuca, the house where Walther Moreira Salles and his family used to live became in 1999 the headquarters of the Instituto Moreira Salles in Rio de Janeiro. IMS Rio offers exhibitions, film screenings, concerts and cultural events, and shelters the institution’s photography, music, literature and iconography collections. The house, planned by Olavo Redig de Campos with landscape design by Roberto Burle Marx, is a landmark of 1950s modern architecture and an attraction in itself.
Reviewed By outsidepreferred
We only had an hour so here at the end of our day, but would have loved to have brunch and then do the museum. The cafe is lovely, the grounds are beautiful, and we learned a lot about the history of urban development in Rio. Loved this museum as a lesser known, less touristy place to enjoy an afternoon away from crowds.
7. Espaco Cultural da Marinha
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 248 reviews
Tue-Sun 12pm-5pm
8. Fundacao Eva Klabin
9. Museu Aeroespacial
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 297 reviews
Tue-Fri 9am-3pm, Sat-Sun 9.30am-4pm
