MAC de Niterói - Contemporary Art Museum

To be honest, we didn’t come for the art - we came for the architecture. As one of Oscar Niemeyer’s most iconic and celebrated creations, this building doesn’t just house the art; it is THE art. In fact, its sweeping curves and bold presence utterly eclipse whatever hangs on the walls inside. Standing before it, in this breathtaking setting, is a five-star experience - no, beyond five stars. The exhibition within? A mere whisper compared to the thunderous poetry of the structure itself. While the price of admission is more than reasonable, the absence of a functioning e-payment system made for a rather unconventional and even bizarre solution. To get the cash to purchase the tickets, I was advised to buy from the coconut vendor on the street, then ask him to charge “extra” on my credit card in return for cash reals. It was such a first world meets third world situation! Every aspect of the MAC is photogenic. The blazing Rio sun and clear skies helped. We lingered for two hours both on the inside and out. And after that we lingered even further with a meal at the delicious Bistrô MAC with its panoramic view of Guanabara Bay. It was an amazing way to spend a Sunday afternoon!
eddie chan - 2 months ago

Beautiful museum, the building per se is an art piece!!! The views are amazing. The exhibitions were nice, I expected more from this museum to be honest. Permanent collection was nice but quite small. The temporary exhibition regarding costumes from the Carnival, really beautiful. Also, I would love to have a proper exhibition regarding the building per se, the process, construction, and so on, currently there are only a few pictures of the construction that’s it.
Ulises Brengi - 3 months ago

One of the best locations ever for a modern art museum. The sensuous, modernist, iconic masterpiece by the unparalleled Niemeyer takes full advantage of the wonderful vista of the picture-perfect Rio de Janeiro’s bay in a rare symbiosis of Architecture and Nature. The interior is equally rewarding; the circular - rotunda style echoing Lloyd Wright’s New York’s Guggenheim. You won’t forget the experience.
Carlos Sarasola Orio - a week ago

It’s an interesting building with great views, but to call this an “art museum” would be a complete joke. The inside of the building is completely empty and the little art that it does have feels dull, boring, and lacks any creativity. The top floor was also under renovation and restricted access. The staff are also quite rude and they require visitors to store all bags, no matter how small in size, in several lockers they say you’re “obligated” to use. To contrast, the outside of the building is free to walk up to and way more interesting than the museum itself. Calling this an observation deck would be a more appropriate title.
Manatee Studios - 3 months ago

Fantastic building. It's definitely worth a visit. And you might get lucky and at the moment you visit you have great exhibitions like I experienced. PS: I can't recommend the restaurant.
Luis Pedro Santos - a month ago