Manaus Museums

(Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil)

Manaus is known for its plentiful outdoor attractions and Amazon Jungle areas, although the city does actually contain a number of very appealing museums. The most popular include the Museu do Indio (Indian Museum), which is sited between two attractive churches and managed by a group of dedicated order of Salesian nuns.

The Museu de Ciencias Naturais da Amazonia is a popular choice and literally translates as the Amazonian Natural Science Museum, although many locals in Manaus tend to refer to it as the Museu Japonesa (Japanese Museum), since it is situated within an area noted for its concentration of Brazilian-Japanese communities.

Museu do Indio (Indian Museum)

Address: Rua Duque de Caxias 296, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, BR
Tel: +55 092 3635 1922
The Museu do Indio features a mixture of art works, fishing tools, ritual masks and musical instruments, all of which originate from the Brazilian states of Amazonas and Pará, often from the native people of the Upper River Negro area. Of note, many of the exhibits are rather lacking in descriptions and explanations, so at times you may find it hard to understand exactly what you are looking at. The Museu do Indio is to be found just a short distance down the Avenida Sete de Setembro, passing the Palacio Rio Negro along the way.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 08:30 to 11:30, 14:00 to 16:30, Saturday - 08:30 to 11:30
Admission: charge

Museu de Ciencias Naturais da Amazonia (Amazonian Natural Science Museum)

Address: Estrada Belem, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, BR
Tel: +55 092 3644 2799
This attraction offers visitors the chance to learn more about the wildlife of the Amazon, with stuffed fish and birds, preserved butterflies and some giant beetles. Exhibits are clearly annotated in both English and Portuguese, as well as Japanese. The Museu de Ciencias Naturais da Amazonia is also home to a large aquarium with fish from the Amazon, including an enormous specimen of a 'pirarucu' fish.
Open hours: Monday to Saturday - 09:00 to 12:00, 14:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge, discounts for children

Museu Amazonico (Amazonian Museum)

Address: Rua Ramos Ferreira, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, BR
Tel: +55 092 3234 3242
Standing on the Rua Ramos Ferreira and within a converted mansion, the Museu Amazonico is only a matter of minutes from the very heart of Manaus. The collection includes a group of indigenous artefacts gathered and discovered from throughout the Amazon area. In particular, look out for the masks used in the Kobewa and Ticuna ceremonies, as well as the Yanomami weapons and primitive Xingu headdresses, made with the brightly coloured feathers of parrots.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 08:00 to 12:00, 14:00 to 17:00
Admission: free

Museu do Seringal Vila Paraiso (Rubber Museum)

Address: Igarapé Sao Joao, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, BR
Tel: +55 092 3234 8755
A short and scenic boat trip from Ponta Negra, which lasts approximately 25 minutes, the Museu do Seringal Vila Paraiso recreates an authentic Amazonian rubber estate (seringal), typical of those found within the late 19th century 'rubber boom'. Guided tours include the chance to explore the townhouse of a wealthy rubber baron, and the processing of latex in a traditional thatched house. There is also a trail leading to some rubber trees, where you will be able to learn exactly how rubber is extracted. Boats regularly depart for the museum, leaving from the Marina Davi. Many tourists visiting the Museu do Seringal Vila Paraiso choose to stop off at the popular Praia da Lua beach en route.
Open hours: Wednesday to Sunday - 08:00 to 16:00
Admission: charge

Museu do Homem do Norte (Museum of Northern Man)

Address: Avenida Sete de Setembro 1385, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, BR
Tel: +55 092 232 5373
Located on the Avenida Sete de Setembro and close to the Colégio Amazonese Dom Pedro II, the Museu do Homem do Norte literally translates as the 'Museum of Northern Man'. This is the place to come if you are interested in the customs and culture of North Brazil, with exhibits including everything from historic cooking implements, hunting tools and ancient weaponry, to well-preserved costumes and displays with both anthropology and ethnology themes. Of particular interest are the artefacts relating to the riverbank-dwelling Caboclos, known for their Portuguese origins.
Open hours: Monday - 08:00 to 12:00, Tuesday to Friday - 08:00 to 12:00, 13:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge