Museu da República -- Palácio do Catete

Description:

• It's gratifying to find a museum that works so hard to grab your interest. Located in a gorgeous baroque palace that from 1897 to 1960 served as the official residence of Brazilian presidents, the three floors of exhibits in this museum try to engage visitors on the history and politics of the Brazilian republic. More traditional displays preserve the air of the palace in its administrative days -- a formal ballroom with a long leather-covered table was where the cabinet used to meet (ho-hum). The best -- and most biased -- exhibit is the three-room hagiography of President Getulio Vargas. It's a curious treatment for this museum, given that Vargas brought the First Republic to an end with a coup in 1930. Still, they do a great job, creating a multimedia sensory experience of Getulio's life and times with audio clips, newsreels, photos, and personal effects. Behind that, in a softly backlit glass case, is the pearl-handled .32-caliber Colt that Getulio used on the night of August 24, 1954, to blast a fatal hole in his heart. Allow an hour to 90 minutes.

  The formal gardens surrounding the palace are well worth a walk. There's a cafe in an artificial grotto and a small branch of the wonderful Folklore Museum containing puppets and folk art from around Brazil. Admission is free.

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Highly Recommended 2010