CCBB RJ - Bank of Brazil Cultural Centre
Much To See and Do at Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil Rio de Janeiro
Even if you do not speak Portuguese you are right in thinking that 'banco' means 'bank'. Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil Rio de Janeiro is translated into English as 'Bank of Brazil Cultural Center' and, although it is not a bank now but in fact a natural history and art museum, the reason for the name is that it once was a bank.
The building, which was the design of Francisco Joaquim Bethencourt da Silva, has been done in an art-deco style and is the largest of the CCBB institutions. Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil started in 1986 but officially opened its doors at the current location in 1989. The former bank has been immaculately restored to its original glory giving you a real appreciation of the beautiful architecture. It has made it into the ranks of the top one hundred art museums in the world based on the number of visitors.
Inside the building you will find multiple art galleries, three theatres, a cinema, a library, a book store, coffee shops and a restaurant. Due to the fact that this was previously a bank the building has ample space to accommodate all of the exhibitions and cultural activities that take place inside. It is in fact the largest of the three CCBB institutions, the other two are the branches in Brasilia and São Paulo, the smallest of the two being the branch in Brasilia.
The changing exhibitions are done in a variety of themes which could include the use of paintings, video footage and actors to play out certain parts. This makes each exhibition interesting and unique. Even if you have already been there before, you will always find something new.
Entry into the art museum is free and this is truly a gift as you get to see some fine art pieces and really get a sense of Rio's history. You will also find that fees for other shows or exhibitions are really well priced.
Located in Rue Primeiro De Marco 66, which used to be the old financial district of Rio de Janeiro, the museum is in the centre of down town Rio so it is easy to get to. Over the weekends however, when the streets are quieter, taking a taxi as a safety precaution is recommended as deserted streets can put one at unnecessary risk.
All in all, it's a wonderful way to experience some more of Brazil's historic culture.
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: Entry is free, however there are fees for some of the shows and exhibitions.Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil - CCBB Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays
- Monday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Thursday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Friday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Saturday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Sunday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Address: R. Primeiro de Março, 66 - Centro, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 20010-000, Brazil
Phone: (21) 3808-2020
Official Website: Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil - CCBB
Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil - CCBB Reviews
Rated out of 5
Went to three art exhibitions, all great, really interesting and exquisite, also had lunch at Lilia where: Nayane runs a great restaurant, her staff was extremely cordial and accommodating with me, l will cite: Ana for making me feel so welcomed, Jeremias, Karina, Julia, Pat, who were so so wonderful and professional. I went 4 times for lunch, and will Lilia as a great eating experience.
O.
Omar De La Paz Guzman Cruz - a month ago
We were looking for something to do that was low-key. In the evening before we met up with family, that was living in Rio. This is kind of like a Art Gallery. There's an exhibit on money which is ok. Not very exciting and then there are artists exhibits on different levels. Some of the art was not to my taste and some of it was fantastic. It was a reasonably inexpensive experience. The building is absolutely gorgeous and it's definitely a good experience for a couple or even a family to do in the evening or During the day, if you're looking for something else to do i. RIO . They we're generous enough to give us cheap or complimentary entry.I can't remember which for being senior citizens and for our daughter being a college student.So I give the staff absolutely high rankings.Very nice thing to do. It was definitely a great date night.for some as we saw a lot of couples, there. Accessible for the mobility challenge they have elevators with people there. Operating them for you to go on each floor plenty of staff at each exhibit. I would give them four and a half stars if I could.
CM B - a month ago
Banco do Brasil, founded in 1808, was the country's first bank and, for a time, acted as its de facto Central Bank. In the present, it remains federally controlled and is one of the largest banks in South America. Its former headquarters is now being used as an exhibition space. The last time I was here, the exhibit was an impressive one with Peruvian gold artifacts. The current one is about cartoonist Mauricio de Sousa. He's like the Brazilian equivalent of Walt Disney, having created more than 200 characters. The extensive show didn't do much for me but was really popular with the visiting kids.
Admission is free. You can get tickets online, via on-premise kiosks and in person at the ticket booth.
JJ G - 5 months ago
Incredible building, great use of space.
Pro:
- free tickets
- easy 3 hour spent
- diverse expo (temp and permanent)
- antique fixtures and elevator
- good A/C
Con:
- hard to get tickets (you need tickets for each expo and it isn't user friendly) use the real person booth if you are a foreigner (you need a cpf to use the self service machines)
- path isn't self explanatory (sometimes hard to figure out where to go next)
Overall it was a great museum,
Brian “CoFii” Adams - a year ago
Directions
| Metro Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| Line 1 -Orange | Uruguaiana | 6 Minutes |
How to get to Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil - CCBB by Metro
Exit Metro Line 1 at Uruguaniana Station and walk straight east along Av. Presidente Vargas past Candelária Church. Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil is just past the church on your right.
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Accommodations near Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil - CCBB:
Photo Gallery
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Inside the Bank of Brazil Cultural Centre in Rio de Janeiro cc licensed photo by Rodrigo Soldon -
Looking up at the centre dome in the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil cc licensed photo by Leandro Ciuffo -
Exhibition of Cai Guo-Qiang at the CCBB cc licensed photo by Glovebr2008 -
Photo Credit: CesarCardoso - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: MarViniz - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Lua Pramos - cc license via Flickr
