National Historical Museum

Near Praça XV, Downtown, the National Historical Museum is one of the largest and most important history museums in Brazil. It occupies a complex of old colonial military buildings that, in themselves, tell much of the city’s story.

The museum was created in 1922 as part of the celebrations for the centenary of Independence, with Gustavo Barroso as its first director. Since then it has gathered and preserved objects that tell the story of how the country was formed, from colony to Republic.

The building is a puzzle of eras: here are remains of the Forte de Santiago, from 1603, the old Calabouço prison, the Casa do Trem (1762) and the War Arsenal (1764). Walking through its galleries and courtyards means crossing centuries of Rio’s history at a single address.

Its collection is among the country’s largest in the field of history and includes one of the largest numismatic collections in Latin America — coins, banknotes and medals. There are also carriages, weapons, furniture, paintings and everyday objects from different periods.

The highlight is the Pátio dos Canhões (Cannon Courtyard), with artillery pieces from various periods surrounded by old walls, and the feeling of walking through spaces that were once a fort, a prison and an arsenal. The carriages and the coin collection tend to delight adults and children alike.