Museum of Tomorrow, Science museum at Pier Maua, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The Museum of Tomorrow is a science museum at Pier Mauá in Rio de Janeiro, housed in an elongated glass and steel building that extends 330 m (1,080 ft) along the waterfront district. The movable outer panels open and close according to sunlight and temperature, making the building change its appearance throughout the day.
The museum opened on 17 December 2015 with President Dilma Rousseff present, after construction supported by the Roberto Marinho Foundation at a cost of about 230 million reais. It was built on the disused Mauá Pier as an anchor of the Porto Maravilha renewal tied to the 2016 Olympics. Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava designed it, drawing on the bromeliads of Rio's Botanical Garden.
The name refers to future questions, while visitors work directly with data about climate and environment through interactive installations. The exhibition connects scientific content with everyday topics that affect people in Rio and worldwide.
The museum stands on the Mauá Pier, reached on foot along the waterfront from Praça Mauá or by public transport into the port district. The 30,000 m² grounds hold gardens, water mirrors, a bike path and a leisure area, so allow time outside as well as in. The main exhibition is on the second floor and runs in Portuguese, Spanish and English.
The building draws water from Guanabara Bay, filters it, and uses it for cooling as well as the shallow pools around the entrance. Wood elements on the ceiling come from certified sources and form organic patterns that recall tree canopies.
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