An Art Lover’s Guide to Rio de Janeiro (7 Things to Do)

This coastal metropolis is the birthplace of many Brazilian artists, architects, and artistic styles that have influenced the art world for centuries. Rio de Janeiro is a maze of modern architecture, grand murals, and famous museums, all framed within a lush mountainous landscape unlike anywhere else on Earth. From the colorful facades of the homes in its favela communities to the world-famous statues and monuments that tower over them, art can be found everywhere in Rio de Janeiro.

As if Rio couldn’t be more expressive, every pattern and design in the city seems to work together with the natural world surrounding it. Rio de Janeiro’s cityscape is like a painting itself and has even become a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its unique beauty. Whether you’re visiting Rio de Janeiro for the first time or considering it a second home, there’s always something new and exciting to experience in Rio’s art world. Here are some of the highlights that will make any art lover fall head over heels for Rio de Janeiro.

Sticking out on a human-made peninsula in Guanabara Bay, the Museu do Amanhã (Museum of Tomorrow) is a striking landmark and one of the most iconic buildings in Rio de Janeiro. Inside this museum are several science-inspired exhibits that use art and design to communicate the challenges human beings could face in the next 50 years.

2. See the Future at the Museu de Arte do Rio (MAR)

Directly next door to the Museum of Tomorrow is the Rio Art Museum. This newly built museum holds an impressive collection of art that is curated to tell the story of the city, from its proudest moments to societal failures. The museum is situated inside two large buildings linked by a bridge called the Flying Roof. In the old building, you will find collections that are themed around Rio de Janeiro’s history. There are costumes, murals, miniature models of favelas, and Indigenous folk art.

Next in the modern building is the Escola do Olhar, a space that, according to the MAR’s website, is a “school that is a museum and, at the same time, a museum that is a school.”

Through workshops and events, the school helps promote art education in Rio de Janeiro and trains a new generation of emerging artists by giving them access to endless resources provided by a long list of donors, including the Rio City Hall and the Roberto Marinho Foundation.

Near the Cosme Velho Station, where tourists line up to take the train up Corcovado Mountain to see Christ the Redeemer, is Casa Roberto Marinho. Brazilian businessman and founder of the media conglomerate Grupo Globo, Roberto Marinho, built his dream home in the jungles of the Cosmo Velho Neighborhood between 1939 and 1943. He immediately filled his home with contemporary Brazilian artwork. Eventually, the tycoon’s collection got so big that he needed another space to store his collection.

After Marinho died in 2003, his house was converted into the Instituto Casa Roberto Marinho.

Today, visiting Casa Roberto Marinho is like stepping into the past. You’ll see some of the most influential pieces of 20th-century Brazilian Art and the home of one of the country’s most influential people. The main house is the primary exhibition space. Nearby, the institute built two new buildings—a space dedicated to art education and a storage space

No visit to Casa Roberto Marinho would be complete without walking around the beautiful garden. Here you will find incredible sculptures surrounded by tropical plants and wildlife. The famous landscape architect Burle Marx designed the garden and made it a part of the house’s elegant design.

4. Museu de Arte Moderna do Rio de Janeiro (MAM)

Don’t miss out on one of Brazil’s largest art institutions—the Museum of Modern Art. This massive building is the home of Brazil’s top collections of modern art. Housed in a sprawling complex that Brazilian architect Affonso Eduardo Reidy designed, the MAM is a great example of Brazilian modernist design.

As you enter the grounds of the museum, you will walk through the lush courtyard designed by Burle Marx, the same landscape architect who designed the beautiful garden at Casa Roberto Marinho. Marxe’s signature style can be noticed in the large pond at the entrance of the museum, with lily pads and tropical plants surrounding it. Inside, you’ll find a revolving collection of Brazilian, Latin American, and international modern art. There’s everything from paintings to world-renowned sculptures. The museum unfortunately had a major fire in the 1970s, which destroyed a large proportion of its collections. However, since the accident, the museum has built up its collection to include dozens of newer works.

The institution also functions as an art education center and performance space. Schools from around the country bring students here to experience the city’s thriving art scene and culture. Inside its theater, you can enjoy events, musical and artistic performances, and film screenings from up-and-coming filmmakers.

If you walk along the boardwalk, a short distance from the Museu do Amanhã, you will come across one of the city’s most prominent murals. World-renowned Brazilian street artist Eduardo Kobra painted this huge mural for Rio’s 2016 Olympic games. The Guinness Book of World Records recognized the mural as the largest in the world, a feat that took Kobra two months to finish. To paint it, he used around 500 gallons of paint and 3,500 cans of spray paint.

The massive piece of street art uses Kobra’s signature geometric patterns to illustrate and celebrate diversity. There are five faces portrayed here, each representing an Indigenous group from five continents and celebrating the five rings of the Olympics. The faces include the Tajapo People from Brazil, the Kayin People from Thailand, the Sami People from Northern Europe, the Huli People from Papua New Guinea, and the Mursi people from Ethiopia.

6. Check out the Palace at Parque Lage

At the base of Corcovado mountain and Christ the Redeemer is the stunning Parque Lage. This urban green space features sprawling gardens, monuments built within the forest, and a famous mansion built by architect Mario Vodre. The property was once a sugar mill that became the residence of the influential industrialist Enrique Lage and his wife, the famous Italian Opera singer Gabriella Besanzoni. In the 1960s, the property was bought by the city and turned into a public park.

You can hike through the trails that take you into the dense Atlantic Forest of Tijuca National Park. There are mysterious structures, including an aquarium and a tower that resembles a medieval guard’s post. The palace, on the other hand, is an architectural masterpiece. The building functions as an art school and is open for visits.

Make sure you don’t miss the cafe in the central courtyard. Here, you can grab a seat and a drink by the courtyard pool. Look up and you’ll see the Christ the Redeemer statue perched on the mountain above.

Rio has a thriving street art scene that’s unlike anywhere else in the world. Make sure to set aside some time to visit the city’s most famous street art or take a guided tour of its open-air masterpieces. Many of Rio’s notorious favelas are also hotspots for art. In these impromptu housing communities built in the foothills surrounding the city, artists have beautified their communities by creating public artworks outside. Some of these artists, such as Marcio SWK and Wark Rocinha, are now nationally known. Hotspots for street art include the Gamboa neighborhood, Santa Teresa, and the famous Escadaria Selaron.

Rio can be very dangerous if you wander off the beaten path and a reputable tour will not only keep you safe but also help you learn more about the local artists who made these masterpieces. Some tours will take you to the more secure favelas. During the day, many of these favelas are calm and secure. With a guide, you’ll be able to enjoy the incredible art and maybe even meet the artists themselves.