Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil

While the Banco do Brasil might hold financial treasures, the collections of the Centro Cultural in São Paulo are priceless. Located in the former headquarters of a two-century old banking institution, the museum in São Paulo is the youngest of three such cultural centers in Brazil.

Under leadership of the bank’s president, the first Cultural Center was opened in 1989, with a mission to reinvigorate the historic downtown of Rio de Janeiro with art. Located in a dense city center alongside theaters, cinemas and galleries, it has become one of the world’s twenty most visited museums year after year.

The ornate building was owned by the bank for nearly a century before being converted into the cultural center. Major renovations took place to restore its art nouveau and neoclassical features.

Known for eclectic exhibitions, visitors can view Basquiat paintings in one exhibition and attend an Arab film festival within the same building. The newest of these cultural centers opened in 2013 and when combined with its counterparts the museums welcome nearly 100 million visitors each year.