National Historical Museum
National Historical Museum, National museum at Praça Marechal Âncora, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Description
The National Historical Museum is a museum in Centro, Rio de Janeiro, occupying a colonial complex that holds paintings, sculptures, military equipment, and everyday objects from different periods of Brazilian history. The exhibition spaces spread across multiple buildings connected by courtyards and passages.
History
The buildings began as Santiago Fort in 1567 and gradually incorporated a prison, an arms depot, and a war arsenal over the following centuries. The site was transformed into a museum in 1922 to celebrate the centenary of Brazilian independence.
Culture
The permanent exhibition shows the evolution of Brazilian transportation, from colonial sedan chairs through early automobiles, including a 1910s Protos vehicle from Rio de Janeiro.
Practical
The museum opens on weekdays in the morning and afternoon, and on weekends only in the afternoon, with guided tours offered during opening hours. The rooms are accessible via staircases and some ramps, and a visit typically takes two to three hours.
Did you know?
The institution holds one of the largest coin collections in Latin America and about 50,000 historical documents, photographs, and rare publications on Brazilian history. Researchers and visitors can access these materials by appointment.
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IRB
336 mSanta Casa de Misericórdia do Rio de Janeiro
245 m
Museu Histórico Nacional
24 m
Santa Casa da Misericórdia and Church of Our Lady of Good Success
126 m
Ladeira da Misericórdia
83 m
Fort of Santiago
0 m
Museu Naval
424 mHospital Geral da Santa Casa da Misericórdia
275 m
Barão do Rio Branco
365 mMarco Cápsula do Tempo
388 m
Coluna Média em Cantoneira
372 m
Sede da Procuradoria Geral do Estado
385 m
Rui Barbosa
236 m
Serviço de Documentação Geral da Marinha
423 m
Atílio Correia Lima
111 m
Teixeira de Freitas
368 m
Paulo Sampaio
105 m
Banco Gota d'Água
101 m
Marechal Bittencourt
75 m
Âncora
288 m
Piso de Pé de Moleque da Ladeira da Misericórdia
73 m
Antiga sede da Procuradoria Geral do Estado
395 m
Chafariz do Museu Historico Nacional
111 m
Cascata dos Deuses
362 mIgreja de Nossa Senhora da Misericórdia e Santa Isabel
125 mBarão do Rio Branco
275 mColuna Média em Cantoneira
367 mRui Barbosa
272 mDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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