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Museu Afro Brasil

4.7 (21 reviews)
Closed 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

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Recommended Reviews - Museu Afro Brasil

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Tiffany S.

Must do when in São Paulo! It's a beautiful museum in a gorgeous park with multiple exhibits of artists from the African diaspora. Some of the permanent collection also includes ancient artifacts from the continent itself such as weapons, royal items and even an Egyptian sarcophagus. The museum itself is 3 floors and includes a small library (not sure if this is open to the public, may be by appointment only) and is free on Wednesdays. I definitely recommend making time for it during your trip to SP and then walking around the park which has a lot to offer!

On the second floor, the bones of this slave ship are quite impactful.
Tracey A.

After a museum experience at MASP that ranks amongst the lowest I'd ever experienced I was struck with the realization that curating exhibits is an art that requires mad skill. Great exhibits must appeal on almost every sensory level and should leave the viewer recording little notes about things they want to research afterwards. The best museum exhibits open the mind and provide inspiration and Museu Afro Brasil (MAB) came quite close to achieving such a feat. From the moment I entered MAB I was transported by their excellent exhibit of the works of journalistic photographer Pierre Verger and how they inspired the work of Belgian cartoonist Hergé, the creator of the Tintin series. Even though the museum didn't cater to English speakers, the way this extensive exhibit was set up conveyed to me exactly what I believe it was meant to do. When Verger's images displayed the Sahara Desert, below them sat a Tintin book, opened to a page with a drawing clearly inspired by Verger. Sand strewn carefully on the floor completed the scene. I didn't need to understand Portuguese to make the connections. This big exhibit was both powerful and fun. So extensive and engaging was this collection that my attention span was practically tapped out by the time I reached the second floor. The second floor is almost shamefully loaded with riches. It took a while to find the exhibit I'd hoped to see (on the history of slavery in Brazil) and by the time I did my mental resources were depleted. There is simply more worth seeing in this museum than one can hope to see in a single visit (there is even one more floor loaded with yet another exhibit). As someone who doesn't speak Portuguese I was happy to note that the portion of the museum devoted to slavery has a free app, downloadable from itunes, that allows the user to scan different codes and images and thus conduct their own audio tour, in English, of the exhibit. Sadly, I had no headphones with me or I'd have gotten much more out of it. Though MAB's aim is to present the contributions of African descendants to the formation of Brazil's national identity they clearly go much further. With limited time and an even more limited attention span, MAB did a good job of just presenting me with a high-quality museum experience. There's a lot more here to learn and enjoy if someone has the time and energy to do so. Other stuff: * Free admission on Saturdays. * MAB is located in Parque Ibirapuera, a prime weekend spot for Sampas. Make a day of it. * The MAB edifice is designed by Brazil's most renowned architect, Oscar Niemeyer. * If you have time for only one museum I'd recommend MAB over MASP.

Jamás! The empty chair is poetry.
Wilson B.

I want to start by saying that I believe I have an above average memory. I begin by talking about me because I had visited the museum before "about seven years back," and I honestly don't remember too much of the displays.* I attribute that the Museu being a living, breathing museum. Changing and adapting. For instance, I don't recall the bold message repeated in black and red on the side of the building. I translated it to mean, "Never again, will we work as slaves." That translation, or rather interpretation is from someone of descended from enslaved Africans. Someone else may translate it to simply mean, "Slave labor, never again." I was furthered moved by seeing Afro Brazilians of varied hues pose for pictures in front of this message. Other element which was new and news to me was the work of Sidney Amaral. Sadly, I got to appreciate Sidney Amaral's work just as I learned of his untimely death. Another Brazilian's work I enjoyed was that of Heitor do Prazeres. His work along with the works of Antonio Rafael Pinto Bandeira and the collection of mid 20th century album covers resulted in the most pictures taken by me. After seeing a picture Benjamin de Oliveira. I learned that there is a statue dedicated to O Palhaço Negro. A statue which was unfortunately vandalized, in 2017. That's a whole lot to unpack right there and I will do that some other time. In lighter news, I can know say that I am familiar with the music of Elsie Houston. She is someone presented as a famous Afro Brazilian which I would have never known of if it wasn't for this return visit. Though known as the Museu Afro Brasil, once entering, almost immediately, you see works from Haiti and Manuel Mandives de Cuba, and this shows you that the museum is very Diasporic in its approach. West African art and religious talisman are curated along with East African photographs. Lastly, my favorite element of the Museu Afro Brasil is that I believe it presents the African Diaspora in Brazilian terms. It is not like an African American museum from the U.S. translated into Portuguese, nor is it Black Museum spotlighting noteworthy Brazilian Afrodescendants. I believe the story is Brazilian's to tell and they tell it in their terms. I look forward to returning to see if the museum continues to grow and if more radical narratives presented. That is what keeps me from a 5 Star review. 4.5 stars for now and I will hopefully make it back sooner, rather than later. *When the ancestors speak, they speak. Vanity 6 "If A Girl Answers (Don't Hang Up)"

Jonathan D.

One of Brazil's best museums on the country's cultural heritage and history - with a notably critical, non-idealized vision - either be prepared to spend much of the day there, or plan a second visit. When I went, I spent so much time in the temporary exhibit downstairs that I didn't even have time to see half of the long-term/permanent exhibits upstairs. To tell the truth, the only thing missing is some Yelp reviews by Brazilians on this museum.

Excellent portrait exhibition

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10 months ago

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1 year ago

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10 years ago

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11 years ago

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8 years ago

Great museum. I highly recommend visiting. Lots of history and culture. Plan to spend many hours here as there is a lot to see and learn.

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10 years ago

If you love history and culture you'll love Museu Afro Brasil. I highly recommend checking it out when you have time.

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Museu Afro Brasil Reviews in Other Languages

Review Highlights - Museu Afro Brasil

translated into Portuguese, nor is it Black Museum spotlighting noteworthy Brazilian Afrodescendants.

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Pinacoteca do Estado

Pinacoteca do Estado

4.8(39 reviews)
6.1 kmBom Retiro

A must visit if you are in São Paulo! I went in March and admission was free (R$0,00). There was a…read moreline to get in, but it moved pretty quickly. You will walk through a security metal detector right before you are let inside the main entryway of the interior. I traveled from Pinheiros - I took the metro from Faria Lima station to Luz station. A one-way ticket for the metro should be R$4,30. There is a huge park across from Luz station where I walked through and explored a bit before locating Pinacoteca. Pinacoteca had some of my favorite exhibits on display when I was there. I kind of felt like I was in an NYC museum. Yes, there were a good amount of people inside, but it was not overly crowded and there were plenty of areas to disperse to if you prefer to see things with few people to no one around. I did have a hard time trying to figure out where the real exit was though, haha. I went so many different ways that seemed to lead to a dead-end (emergency exit door that I was afraid to try to open in case an alarm would sound). There is a cafe at the bottom floor by the main exit once you do find it. The line was pretty much by the door. I took a peek inside and it appeared like a buffet almost but I could be wrong. Must have been good cause they were crowded. I remember walking by the outdoor dining area on way to the entrance of the museum from the park and it looked busy. There is a small museum store outside with colorful umbrellas, tote bags, books, shirts, and other merchandise. The museum is also multi-level - elevator accessible as well as stairways on every corner I think (or at least on two opposite ends of the building). Ubers can pick you up / drop you off from the street side that faces the front of the museum.

Great museum with very representative works from Brazilian and Paulista culture. There are also…read moregreat expositions of renowned artists.

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Pinacoteca do Estado
Pinacoteca do Estado
Pinacoteca do Estado

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Museu do Futebol

Museu do Futebol

4.5(14 reviews)
4.3 kmPacaembu

Yelp Review 2025 #166:…read more It's a small museum located inside Pacaembu Stadium focusing on Brazilian futebol culture and history. I went on the first Tuesday of the month which meant admission was free and they don't close till 9pm! Their normal hours are Tuesday to Sunday 9am-5pm. I was honestly expecting this place to be packed especially if you don't have to pay for admission - not that the tickets are expensive. It's 24 Brazilian Reais which is about $4.50, half price for students, low-income youth, seniors, and retirees. Children 7 and under can come in for free. I've been to futbol museums in Spain, Germany, FIFA Museum in Switzerland, etc and this museum seems underwhelming compared to the places I've been to. But remember, this is a museum focusing on Brazilian futebol only. Most, if not all, of the information are in Portuguese. But there are pictures/ graphics that will help you understand what is written. Or just take a picture and translate on your phone. It's visually interesting. It's not just pictures and memorabilia and next to them are labels you have to read and be bored by. You'll see the greatest jogador de futebol brasileiro like Marta and Pele. Nelson Rodrigues, a playwright, was credited for "inventing" Brazilian futebol. But it's Charles Miller who brought futebol to Brazil and considered the "father of Brazilian futebol". The street the stadium/ museum is on was named after him. There's a gift shop where you can get souvenirs like kits, shirts, keychains, toys, scarves, mugs, tumblers, water bottles, soccer balls, etc. The kits include Brazilian teams, Brazilian national team, Germany, Italy, and Portugal. There's a cafe should you need a snack or a drink before/ after your tour of the museum. Make sure you get your ticket online even if you're coming in for free. You walk straight to the turnstiles skipping the ticketing office line.

This museum was a must visit for me since I love soccer. I really enjoyed that a few parts were…read moreinteractive, the foosball tables and being able to kick a soccer ball to measure your speed are two examples. It is definitely worth checking out if you are in São Paulo.

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Museu do Futebol
Museu do Futebol
Museu do Futebol

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Museu da Imigração Japonesa

Museu da Imigração Japonesa

4.4(7 reviews)
3.5 kmLiberdade

Knowing that there was an area in São Paulo that was similar to that of a Japantown in Brazil, I…read moreknew that when I visited, I would need to check out the Museu da Imigração Japonesa located in Liberdade. I had pre-made plans to go on a walking tour earlier that day so it was an easy win and my guide was so kind in showing me directions on how to get there. The museum is about 4 levels I think of historical content. The ticket was about R$10-20 if I remember correctly. I would say be sure to arrive where you'll have enough time to see everything here! I think I had about 3 hours, but honestly could have probably used a little more if I had wanted to read everything - there is a ton if information and artifacts that were new to me that it could have taken me some time going through everything I came across. There are lots of areas that have TV screens where they have videos playing of interviews, documentary type recordings, historical storytelling recordings, etc. Each floor contains something super interesting and new - definitely saw some unexpected things while I was there and it made my experience all the more memorable. It was not too crowded when I was there so it was nice to go at my own pace and not feel overcrowded or rushed. There is also a room where there is an interactive station where you can write or draw on magical water coloring type board using a traditional Japanese brush using water. Once the water dries, the color of the board changes and appears like ink. There is also a station where you are able to do origami and another area where people can sit and view what is playing on the big screen in that same room. On the upper level, there is a small gift shop and during the time that I went back in March of this year, they were in prospects of creating a cafe that was in the remodeling stages. The museum staff were all friendly and I actually had the pleasure of having a nice conversation with one of them where I got a sense of what it was like for them to live in Brazil with Japanese heritage. This was one of the best museums dedicated to showcasing Japanese culture and what immigration to Brasil was like that I have ever been to.

If you are familiar with Brazil, you would know that the country has a sizeable Japanese descent…read morepopulation, especially in the city of Sao Paulo. This museum is about their history and is located in the neighborhood of Liberdade, where many Japanese businesses are located. It is not a big museum and I spent less than one hour there. However, I'd still recommend it to learn a bit of interesting history. The price of admission is extremely cheap, and is around 3 US dollars. You will see a lot of old artifacts and photos from the early days when the Japanese first immigrated here and exhibits that explain the history of their immigration. They came mostly as farm workers and stayed behind. Also on display is how the Japanese has influenced Brazilian culture, such as old anime toys that were sold in Brazil years ago.

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Museu da Imigração Japonesa
Museu da Imigração Japonesa
Museu da Imigração Japonesa

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Museu Afro Brasil - museums - Updated May 2026

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