- Type
- History and culture
- Area
- Downtown and Lapa
- Requires a hike or uphill walk
- No
The National Museum of Fine Arts (Museu Nacional de Belas Artes), known as MNBA, is on Avenida Rio Branco, in Cinelândia, in downtown Rio. It holds the largest collection of 19th-century Brazilian artworks and is one of the most important art museums in the country, according to Wikipedia. It was created on January 13, 1937 and opened on August 19, 1938.
A collection that began with King João VI
The collection’s story begins in 1808, when King João VI arrived in Rio with a set of artworks. Some of them stayed in Brazil and formed the core of the collection. Years later an art school was created which, in 1826, became the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts. The academy’s collection, later the National School of Fine Arts, gave rise to the museum, according to Wikipedia.
The Louvre-inspired building
The Avenida Rio Branco building was designed by Spanish architect Adolfo Morales de los Ríos, who took the Louvre Museum in Paris as his model. The result is eclectic: the main facade draws on the French Renaissance, the sides on the Italian Renaissance and the rear facade is neoclassical, according to Wikipedia.
What to see
The museum has about 15,000 pieces. Highlights of the collection include, according to Wikipedia:
- French Artistic Mission: works by Nicolas-Antoine Taunay, Félix Taunay and Jean-Baptiste Debret, artists linked to the Academy.
- Imperial Academy: 19th-century Brazilian painting, with Victor Meirelles, Pedro Américo, Almeida Júnior, Rodolfo Amoedo and Eliseu Visconti.
- Modernists: Candido Portinari, Tarsila do Amaral, Di Cavalcanti, Djanira, Guignard and Lasar Segall.
- European art: from the 13th to the 19th century, with Italian Baroque works, twenty canvases by Eugène Boudin and eight by Frans Post.
- Sculpture and works on paper: works by Rodolfo Bernardelli, pieces by Rodin, prints and drawings.
The works on display vary with exhibitions and renovations.
Nearby
The museum is in Cinelândia, next to the Municipal Theater and the National Library. Confeitaria Colombo and the Royal Portuguese Reading Room are a short walk away. Plan your day with historic downtown on foot and compare with other Rio museums.
Practical tips
- Confirm on the official channel that the museum is open: hours and works change.
- Combine it with the Municipal Theater and the National Library, on the same square.
- Allow at least two hours for the galleries.
Frequently asked questions
What is in the National Museum of Fine Arts?
About 15,000 pieces, including paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints, with the largest collection of 19th-century Brazilian art, plus European, African and folk art, according to Wikipedia.
Which artists are in the collection?
Among Brazilians, Victor Meirelles, Pedro Américo, Almeida Júnior, Eliseu Visconti and, among the modernists, Candido Portinari, Tarsila do Amaral and Di Cavalcanti, according to Wikipedia. The works on display vary.
Where is the museum?
On Avenida Rio Branco, in Cinelândia, downtown, near the Municipal Theater.
Pair it with
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Downtown and Lapa Rio de Janeiro Municipal Theater One of Brazil's most important theaters, in Cinelândia, with an illuminated facade and a program of opera, ballet and concerts. See details -
Kids Downtown and Lapa Confeitaria Colombo A traditional downtown confectionery with a hall of mirrors, display cases and chandeliers, a sight in its own right. See details -
Downtown and Lapa Royal Portuguese Reading Room A Portuguese-language library in downtown Rio, with a hall of wooden shelves up to the ceiling and a stained-glass skylight. See details