Fortaleza Art Galleries

(Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil)



There are a number of galleries located around Fortaleza, contributing greatly to the city's cultural scene. These include public art museums, commercial galleries and changing exhibitions at venues such as the Centro Dragao do Mar de Arte e Cultura (Dragao Mar Centre of Art and Culture), which is home to the Memorial da Cultura Cearense and its interesting arts and crafts exhibits.

Located on the Rua Senador Pompeu and just upstairs from the Fortaleza tourist information office (Centro de Turismo), the Museu de Arte e Cultura Popular is especially noteworthy and can be found in a historical converted 19th-century prison. For religious art works, the Museu de Arte Sacra (Sacred Art Museum) is just a short distance away, being located in nearby Aquiraz.


Museu de Arte e Cultura Popular (Museum of Art and Popular Culture)

Address: Rua Senador Pompeu 350, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil, BR
Tel: +55 085 3101 5508
The Museu de Arte e Cultura Popular specialises in folk art and contains a large and interesting collection of handicrafts originating from throughout Ceará. These range from handmade puppets and wooden carvings, to traditional weaving looms, small boats and some unusual musical instruments.
Open hours: Monday to Saturday - 08:00 to 16:00, Sunday - 08:00 to 11:00
Admission: charge

Centro Dragao do Mar de Arte e Cultura (Dragao Mar Centre of Art and Culture)

Address: Rua Dragao do Mar 81, Praia de Iracema, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil, BR
Tel: +55 085 488 8600
The Dragao do Mar Centre of Art and Culture is well worth looking out for and features a selection of appealing attractions. These include both the Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC) and also the Memorial Cearense Culture (MCC), the latter of which is known for its photograph displays and exhibits relating to the early occupation of Ceará. At the Museum of Contemporary Art you can expect to find changing exhibits, with works by local Brazilian artists, such as Hélio Rola and Sérvulo Esmeraldo, amongst many other acclaimed artists.
Open hours: Tuesday to Sunday - 14:00 to 21:00
Admission: charge, children six years old and under are free, Sundays are free

Museu de Arte Sacra (Sacred Art Museum)

Address: Praca Conego Araripe 22, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil, BR
Tel: +55 085 361 2011
Located in the neighbouring city of Aquiraz, some 45 minutes to the south-east of Fortaleza, the Museu de Arte Sacra comes with roughly 700 individual pieces of religious art, ranging from paintings and ceramics, to large statues of saints and detailed silverware. In particular, look out for the image of Our Lady Santana and also the 18th-century Portuguese artefacts, which include some candlesticks that were donated by Jesuit priests.
Open hours: Tuesday to Sunday - 08:00 to 17:00
Admission: free