Inaugurated in 2013, Casa Daros is the Rio de Janeiro flagship of the Daros Latin America Institute, founded in 2000 in Zurich, by Swiss art collector Ruth Schmidheiny, specializing in contemporary Latin American art. The museum occupies a beautifully restored 19th-century neoclassical mansion, framed by a stately row of imperial palm trees. The large rooms with high ceilings are perfect for showcasing the collection’s works, which include paintings, sculptures, videos, and installations, from the 1960s until today. Highlights so far have been the dramatic light installations by Argentine artist Julio le Parc and the whimsical cartoons of Mexican artist Pablo Helguera. Two smaller rooms also house an exhibit on the charitable organization that used to operate out of this mansion, before it fell into disrepair. A large collection of photos gives a fascinating impression of Rio’s history. Allow at least two hours to take in all the exhibits. The museum also has an excellent restaurant (see the review of Mira!).