Rio de Janeiro has more than 200 locations for movies, theater, musical and artistic exhibitions, 82 museums and 76 libraries.

Besides traditional museums, the city is home to museums dedicated to trains, to planes, to trolley-cars, to jewelry and gemstones, to sport, to the Indians, to primitive Brazilian art and even to Carmem Miranda, among others.

BANK OF BRAZIL CULTURAL CENTER (CENTRO CULTURAL BANCO DO BRASIL)
R. Primeiro de Março, 66 - Centro - Tel: 3808-2000
Tuesday to Sunday, midday to 7pm.
The Bank of Brazil Cultural Center is in an attractive building downtown that once housed the first branch of the Bank of Brazil, and today contains the bank´s museum, with books and documents and a collection that tells the history of Brazilian coins. There are also auditoriums for theatre, recitals of classical music and art galleries.

CONVENTO DE SANTO ANTÔNIO
Largo da Carioca, 5 - Centro - Tel: 2262-1209
Open Monday to Friday, from 2pm to 5pm.
One of the oldest buildings in Brazil, construction was started in 1515, along with the beginnings of Rio de Janeiro city. The works left by artisan Manuel Setúbal and the baroque architecture brought to the country by the Portuguese are of major importance to the colonial heritage. According to legend, construction of the church protected the city from the French invaders at the beginning of the 18th century, and the Saint himself was seen fighting alongside the Brazilians in defense of the citadel.

FEIRA HIPPIE
Praça General Osório - Ipanema
Sundays from 9am to 5pm
The so-called Hippie Fair is held traditionally in one of Ipanema´s more famous squares. Arts and crafts in leather, wood and metal, apart from paintings, costume jewelry and accessories are on offer at all prices, though bargains can be found. There are food stalls and in the surrounding area restaurants, bars, juice bars and ice cream pardors.

FINE ARTS MUSEUM (MUSEU NACIONAL DE BELAS ARTES)
Av. Rio Branco, 199 - Centro - Tel: 2240-0068
Tuesday to Friday 11am to 5pm. Saturday and Sunday 1pm to 5pm.
An essential part of the tour of Rio´s historic center, near to the Municipal Theater and the National Library, built in neoclassic style and inaugurated in 1937, the Fine Arts Museum houses a collection of 14.000 paintings and sculptures, including works by Picasso and Rodin, apart from Brazilian artists such as Portinari and Di Cavalcanti, and is gaining importance as one of the venues for international art exhibitions, recently showing Monet, Velazquez, , Goya and El Greco.

H. STERN MUSEUM
R. Garcia D´Ávila, 113 - Ipanema - Tel: 2259-7442
Mondays to Friday 08:30am to 6:30pm, Saturdays 8:30am to 2pm.
One of the places that most enchants visitors to Ipanema. Apart from the collection of jewelry, there is a guided tour of the lapidarys workshop and a display of precious and semiprecious stones, including a collection of over 1000 tourmalines.

MODERN ART MUSEUM (MUSEU DE ARTE MODERNA)
Av. Infante D. Henrique 85 - Aterro do Flamengo
Tuesday to Friday noon to 6pm. Saturday, Sunday and holidays, 1pm to 7pm.
The Modern Art Museum is totally dedicated to modern art, from the boldness of its own architecture to its program of national and international exhibitions and its famous Assis Chateaubriand collection. Contemporary Brazilian artists on show include Portinari, Di Cavalcanti, Anita Malfatti and Tarsila do Amaral.

NATIONAL LIBRARY (BIBLIOTECA NACIONAL)
Av. Rio Branco, 219 - Centro - Tel: 2262-8255
From Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
The building housing the National Library and museum reflects the French neoclassic style. The museum contains the royal collection that was brought from Lisbon by Dom João VI, and today it includes Brazilian publications, including books, magazines and newspaper, some rare books, including a first edition of Os Lusíadas by Luis de Camões, and Don Quixote by Manoel de Cervantes, a Bible over 500 years old and some original Mozart scores. During the week the museum is open for guided tours and library research. For details check with your concierge.

NOSSA SENHORA DA GLÓRIA DO OUTEIRO CHURCH
Praça Nossa Senhora da Glória, 135 - Glória - Tel: 2557-4600
Open Tuesday to Friday at 9am to midday and from 1pm to 5pm. Saturday and Sunday from 9am to midday.
Gloria Church provides two great attractions. Firstly the church itself, small but beautifully proportioned in classic baroque style from the start of the 18th century, and secondly the view from the hill on which it is perched, over Flamengo Park and Guanabara Bay. While visiting the church, include the Museum of Sacred Art.

REPUBLIC MUSEUM (MUSEU DA REPÚBLICA)
R. do Catete, 153 - Catete - Tel: 2285-6350
Tuesday to Friday, from midday to 5pm. Saturday and Sunday 2pm to 6pm.
Old headquarters of the Brazilian government and presidential residence when Rio was the capital, this building saw history being made. Today it is a modern museum with permanent historical displays and a cultural center where art exhibitions are held.

ROYAL PORTUGUESE LIBRARY (REAL GABINETE PORTUGUÊS DE LEITURA)
R. Luis de Camões, 30 - Centro - Tel: 2221-2960
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
The Royal Portuguese Library is housed in a beautiful built 180 years ago by the Portuguese, and has a large collection of books, manuscripts, documents, postage stamps and coins. Among the rare books is a first edition of Os Lusíadas, by Luiz de Camões, and some original Machado de Assis and Gonçalves Dias manuscripts.

THE SÃO BENTO MONASTERY (IGREJA DE SÃO BENTO)
R. Dom Gerardo, 68 - Centro - Tel: 2291-7122
Open daily from 8am to 11am and from 2pm to 5:30pm.
One of the oldest churches in Rio de Janeiro, inaugurated in 1641, with authentic colonial architecture and a fascinating baroque interior, it contains work by Frei Domingos da Conceição and Mestre Valentim. The São Bento Monastery is administered by Benedictine of Gregorian chant during mass on Sundays.