CCBB – Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil

On Rua Primeiro de Março, in the historic center, the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (CCBB) is one of the busiest cultural venues in the country. It brings together exhibitions, cinema, theater and music under one roof and frequently ranks among the most visited museums and art spaces in the world.

The CCBB opened in 1989 in an eclectic late-19th-century building that for decades housed the headquarters of Banco do Brasil. The former bank, with its marble and columns, was adapted to welcome the public while preserving the solemn feel of the original architecture.

The heart of the building is the central rotunda under a glass dome, rising through several floors and filling the interior with light. Around it are the exhibition rooms, the cinema and the theaters — and just looking up from the ground floor is worth the visit.

The highlight is the major exhibitions, which bring international shows and retrospectives of Brazilian artists to Rio and often draw huge crowds. Many events are free or low-cost, making the CCBB an outing open to everyone. Throughout the year, the program also includes films, plays and concerts.

The building is part of a cultural corridor: Casa França-Brasil and the Centro Cultural dos Correios are close by, and Candelária Church is just steps away. You can easily spend a whole afternoon moving between them, from one exhibition to the next.