Contemporary Art Museum is located in the city’s Niterói district. The museum opened in 1996 in an unusual building reminiscent of a flower, designed by Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer. The museum is located on Mirante da Boa Viagem, a panoramic cape overlooking the South Atlantic Ocean and Guanabara Bay.
The museum is made of reinforced concrete, and is divided into four levels connected by spiral steps. In the basement there is a cafe bar, restaurant and a small theater with 55 seats. The museum lobby and administrative offices are located on the first floor. On the second floor there are five medium-sized exhibition rooms and a large exhibition hall of 393 m2. Finally, the third floor, topped by a circular dome 50 meters in diameter, contains almost 700m2 of exhibition space, divided into five galleries.
A long ramp connects the coastal road of Avenida Almirante Benjamin Sodré with the entrance of the museum on the first floor. The exit is on the second floor. The circular shape is repeated within the museum itself; the pool, ramp, and even the lamps and counter of the restaurant are circular in shape.
The futuristic structure was opened in 1996, and it houses the collections of the most influential Brazilian artists. The museum also hosts performances and events by contemporary artists. The core of the museum's collection consists of about 1.200 works of art donated by art collector João Sattamini, mostly works by Brazilian artists from the 1950s to the early 1990s, including works by Lygia Clark, João Carlos Goldberg, Frans Kreitzberg, Tomie Ohtake, Mira Schendel and Carlos Vergara.
Closed for renovation in 2015, the museum reopened with new facilities in 2016 on the occasion of its 20th anniversary. Don't miss this wonderful gallery with a beautiful view of Guanabara Bay and the city of Rio.
Ticket price for the Museum of Contemporary Art
Regular ticket price 14 BRL
Reduced ticket price: 7 BRL - for pensioners and students
Working hours of the Museum of Contemporary Art
Tuesday to Friday from 12 pm to 6 pm
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays from 11 am to 6 pm
The box office closes at 5:30 p.m.
