Museu Nacional de Belas Artes

Frommer's Review

A classic museum in the European tradition, the Museu Nacional de Belas Artes houses a vast collection of European and Brazilian art, with an emphasis on 18th- and 19th-century European work. The building, built in 1908, is worth a visit by itself. Though the layout is confusing, the art itself is beautifully displayed. The museum has two galleries of Brazilian art. The highlight is the collection by Frans Post, Brazil's first landscape painter, which is displayed with other works from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. The gallery of 20th-century works is closed for renovations. Also worthwhile is the beautiful collection of Italian baroque paintings, some brought to Brazil in 1808 by the fleeing Portuguese King João VI. The center rooms are used for temporary exhibits of Brazilian artists. Allow an hour.

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