Sao Paulo, Brazil

Museums in Sao Paulo

34 places, ranked by traveler reviews. The museums in Sao Paulo travelers actually rate, art, history and everything odd in between.

Museum4.7

São Paulo Museum of Art

14,059 reviews

A world-class art museum housed in an iconic modernist building suspended on red pillars along Paulista Avenue.

Museum4.7

Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo

14,059 reviews

A major art museum with a vast collection of Brazilian art, housed in a former lyceum in São Paulo.

Museum4.5

Museu do Futebol

9,529 reviews

The Museu do Futebol, built into the stands of São Paulo's historic Pacaembu Stadium, is a love letter to the sport that defines Brazil.

Museum4.7

Museu Afro Brasil

7,958 reviews

Explore African-Brazilian heritage through 6,000+ artworks, artifacts, and religious objects at this vibrant museum in Ibirapuera Park.

Museum4.5

Museu Catavento

7,930 reviews

Museu Catavento is São Paulo's superb interactive science museum, housed in the grand early-20th-century Palácio das Indústrias.

Museum4.6

Football Museum

6,276 reviews

Dive into Brazil's football passion at this interactive museum inside historic Pacaembu Stadium, with exhibits on Pelé, Maradona, and more.

Museum4.5

Instituto Tomie Ohtake

2,590 reviews

The Instituto Tomie Ohtake is one of São Paulo's most striking cultural centres, instantly recognisable for its bold, curving architecture and the vivid magenta-and-violet towers that rise above the Pinheiros district.

Museum4.5

Museu Da Imagem E Do Som - Mis

2,320 reviews · Jardins

The Museu da Imagem e do Som (MIS) in São Paulo, the Museum of Image and Sound, is one of Brazil's most popular and dynamic cultural institutions, devoted to photography, film, music, design, and pop culture.

Museum4.5

Museu Paulista

1,375 reviews · Ipiranga

The Museu Paulista, popularly known as the Ipiranga Museum, is one of São Paulo's grandest and most important museums, housed in an imposing, palace-like neoclassical building set in formal gardens, deliberately evoking Versailles.

Museum

Museum4.5

Itau Cultural Institute

999 reviews

A cultural center on Avenida Paulista showcasing Brazilian art, music, and thought through rotating exhibitions and performances.

Museum

Museum4

Casa Das Rosas

959 reviews

A museum and cultural center on Avenida Paulista, housed in a historic mansion surrounded by gardens, showcasing art and architecture.

Museum

Museum4.5

Museu De Arte Sacra De Sao Paulo

739 reviews · Bom Retiro

Museu De Arte Sacra De Sao Paulo is a museum of sacred art housed in a former monastery, featuring a vast collection of religious artifacts from colonial Brazil.

Museum

Museum4.5

Museum of Contemporary Art

733 reviews · Vila Mariana

Modern and contemporary art museum in São Paulo's Ibirapuera Park, part of the University of São Paulo, featuring a notable collection of Brazilian and international works.

Museum

Museum4

Museu Do Ipiranga

379 reviews · Ipiranga

Explore Brazil's independence history at this grand museum set in a 19th-century palace surrounded by lush gardens in Sao Paulo's Ipiranga district.

Museum

Museum4

Ibirapuera Planetarium

340 reviews · Ibirapuera

A modern planetarium and museum in Ibirapuera Park, São Paulo, featuring immersive astronomy shows and exhibits.

Museum

Museum4.5

Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo

235 reviews · Ipiranga

A natural history museum in Sao Paulo's Ipiranga district, showcasing Brazil's diverse animal life through extensive taxidermy collections.

Museum

Museum4.5

Museu de Arte Brasileira - FAAP

174 reviews · Higienopolis

A museum showcasing Brazilian art from the 19th century to contemporary works, housed in the FAAP university campus in Higienópolis.

Museum

Museum4

Museu Brasileiro da Escultura e Ecologia

125 reviews · Jardins

A museum in São Paulo's Jardins district dedicated to Brazilian sculpture and ecology, set in a lush garden.

Museum

Museum4.5

Ema Klabin Foundation

124 reviews · Jardins

A museum in São Paulo's Jardim Europa, showcasing a diverse collection of art and artifacts in a historic home.

Museum

Museum4.5

Museum of Contemporary Art - MAC USP Ibirapuera

106 reviews · Vila Mariana

A contemporary art museum inside Ibirapuera Park, showcasing Brazilian and international works in a striking modernist building.

Museum

Museum4.5

Museu do Instituto Biologico

96 reviews · Vila Mariana

A museum in São Paulo dedicated to the history of biological research and agricultural science in Brazil.

Museum

Museum4.5

Galeria Melissa Sao Paulo

42 reviews · Jardins

A whimsical museum in São Paulo's Jardins district dedicated to the iconic Melissa plastic shoes, blending art, fashion, and pop culture.

Museum

Museum5

Ponto Solidario

37 reviews · Jardins

A small, highly praised museum in São Paulo's Jardins neighborhood, focusing on solidarity and social themes.

Museum

Museum4

Paulista of University of Sao Paulo Museum

36 reviews · Ipiranga

A museum in Sao Paulo's Ipiranga district showcasing the history and culture of the University of Sao Paulo.

Museum

Museum5

Zipper Galeria

32 reviews · Jardins

A contemporary art gallery in São Paulo's Jardins neighborhood, showcasing rotating exhibitions of Brazilian and international artists.

Museum

Museum4

Culture Shock Gallery

26 reviews

A contemporary art gallery in São Paulo's Pinheiros neighborhood showcasing emerging and established Brazilian artists through rotating exhibitions.

Museum

Museum4.5

Museu da Cidade de Sao Paulo

24 reviews

A museum in São Paulo dedicated to the city's history, housed in a historic building near the Monument to the Independence of Brazil.

Museum

Museum4.5

Japan Foudation

23 reviews · Bela Vista

Japan Foundation in São Paulo offers cultural exchange programs, a library, and exhibitions showcasing Japanese arts and language.

Museum

Museum4.5

Xingu Museum

23 reviews · Jardins

A museum in São Paulo's Jardins district showcasing indigenous art and artifacts from Brazil and beyond.

Museum

Museum4

Passagem Literaria da Consolacao

21 reviews · Consolacao

A literary-themed passage in São Paulo that connects Rua da Consolação to Avenida Paulista, featuring book displays and cultural events.

Museum

Museum4.5

Itau Numismatica Herculano Pires Museum

18 reviews

Museum dedicated to numismatics and the life of Brazilian writer Herculano Pires, located on Avenida Paulista.

Museum

Museum4

Planetarium Aristoteles Orsini

17 reviews · Ibirapuera

A planetarium and museum in Ibirapuera Park, São Paulo, dedicated to astronomy and the life of Italian astronomer Aristoteles Orsini, featuring a dome theater and exhibits.

Museum

Museum4

A CASA Museu do Objeto Brasileiro

16 reviews · Vila Madalena

A museum dedicated to Brazilian design and everyday objects, housed in a charming Vila Madalena building.

Museum

Museum4.5

Museu Judaico de Sao Paulo

16 reviews · Consolacao

A museum in São Paulo dedicated to preserving and sharing Jewish history, culture, and heritage in Brazil.

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Good to know

What is the best-known of the museums in Sao Paulo?

São Paulo Museum of Art is the most reviewed, with 14,059 traveler reviews and a 4.7 rating. That makes it the safe choice if you are only fitting in one.

Which of Sao Paulo's museums is worth going out of your way for?

Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo rates highest at 4.7 out of 5 across 14,059 reviews. Smaller crowds than the headline entry usually explain the gap.

How is this list of museums ranked?

By how many travelers reviewed each place, filtered to those rated well enough to be worth your time. No one pays to appear on it, and the order is refreshed monthly as new reviews land.

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