Paintings, sculptures, and films abound in the Modern Art Museum in Rio.

The Modern Art Museum located in Flamengo Park near downtown Rio de Janeiro alongside Guanabara Bay, houses over 11,000 works including paintings, sculptures and engravings by both Brazilian and foreign artists. The Modern Art Museum is also the home to highly specialized library and a popular cinematheque. The Modern Art Museum, founded by a group of art enthusiasts lead by Raimundo Castro Maia, was not transferred to its current location until 1958.

The main building was designed by Affonso Reidy and stands in the heart of Flamengo Park and is surrounded by gardens planned by renowned landscape designer Burle Marx. An example of modern architecture, the building that houses the Modern Art Museum is constructed of concrete in a horizontal form with an open structuring allowing for a clear connection with the sea. The gardens help to carefully transition the building into the landscape including flower beds with round pebbles and paths lined with imperial palm trees. The museum is a very active part of the cultural scene in Rio and is marked as an influence for many of Brazil’s artists.

The cultural impact and importance of the Modern Art Museum is symbolized by the hundreds of people from all over the world who came to help repair the museum and replace it’s collections after a devastating fire in 1978. The fire destroyed most of the original collection and severely damaged the structure of the building. One of the major contributions consisting of over 4,000 pieces, donated by Gilberto Chateaubriand, is now part of the museum’s permanent exhibition. The Modern Art Museum continues to draw large crowds for both its permanent and temporary exhibition. In 1998, Camille Claudel’s sculptures drew 120,000 people.

The museum’s film collection is a major attraction and is considered one of the best in Latin America. The collection includes over 12,000 titles including some that are extremely rare. The Cinemateca do MAM holds shows and festivals that are open for the general public that offer Brazilian and foreign cult films not shown in the commercial theaters.

MAM also regularly hosts art workshops exploring both the creative and the historical side of art making. The Modern Art Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday 12:00-6:00pm.

Surrounding the Modern Art Museum there is 1,200,000 square meters by the sea known as the Flamengo Embankment. A landscape project also led by Roberto Burle Marx, it extends from Santos Dumont Airport to Botafogo Cove. The park offers many attractions including sports courts, bike trails, and cooper trails. After spending a day at the museum the Embankment is the perfect place to take a leisurely walk.