Niterói Contemporary Art Museum, Rio de Janeiro

The Niterói Contemporary Art Museum (Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Niterói - MAC), is located in Rio de Janeiro and holds a prominent place among the city's iconic landmarks. It was completed in 1996 and designed by the renowned architect Oscar Niemeyer, with structural engineering assistance provided by Bruno Contarini, who had previously collaborated with Niemeyer on other projects.

This architectural marvel stands at a height of 16 meters and features a distinctive cupola with a diameter of 50 meters, spanning three floors. The museum boasts a remarkable collection of 1,217 artworks, curated over several decades by the art collector João Sattamini, starting from the 1950s. This collection ranks as the second-largest assortment of contemporary art in Brazil.

Positioned gracefully above Boa Viagem beach and an adjacent neighborhood, the museum is surrounded by an expansive 817 square meters (8,790 square feet) reflecting pool, described by Niemeyer as resembling a flower. A broad access slope leads visitors to an Exhibition Hall, accommodating up to sixty people. From there, two doors open to a viewing gallery, offering breathtaking vistas of Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, and the iconic Sugarloaf Mountain.

The museum's unique saucer-shaped modernist structure has often been likened to a UFO and is perched on a cliffside, with a beautiful beach at its base. Interestingly, in the film "Oscar Niemeyer, an architect committed to his century," Niemeyer is depicted flying over Rio de Janeiro in a UFO, which eventually lands on this site, suggesting that this fantastical encounter served as the inspiration for the museum's creation.

Tip:
Combine with a trip to the sites around Praça XV. Pretty easy to get to, as the ferry ride is fun and quick. Buy your two tickets at the ferry station (front of yellow building). Stand at the ferry's front or back windows to get good pics.
On the Niterói side, walk to the right when you leave the terminal and go to where the buses stop on the traffic island. A bus driver will point you to the right bus. Getting there takes barely 10 mins.
The way back is a bit longer, because you take the same bus that does a loop going through a little neighborhood before it heads back. Alternatively, you could just take a taxi.