Oscar Niemeyer Museum 🇧🇷

When you visit Curitiba, Brazil, you cannot miss the extraordinary Oscar Niemeyer Museum, also known as the Eye Museum or Museu do Olho. Originally inaugurated in 2002 as the Novo Museu, it was reinaugurated in 2003 to honor its world-famous architect, Oscar Niemeyer, who finished the project at 95 years old. The complex spans 35,000 square meters, featuring 19,000 square meters dedicated strictly to exhibition space focusing on visual arts, architecture, and design.

As you explore, you will experience a true blend of art and architecture across two striking buildings. The original structure, designed in 1967, showcases Niemeyer’s bold geometric shapes, sculptural curved volumes, white painted concrete, sinuous pedestrian ramps, and vivid murals. The most famous element is the eye-shaped annex, a 30-meter-tall reinforced concrete structure floating over a pool of water.

You can stroll through a futuristic underground walkway to enter the annex, where you will find a large spiral stairway and diamond-shaped glass-and-steel façades that flood the exhibit space with natural light. Outside, you can enjoy tranquil gardens designed by famous landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx, set within a lush woodland area. It is an unforgettable cultural destination.

What to see at Oscar Niemeyer Museum

• The iconic 30-meter-tall 'Eye' annex sitting above a pool of water
• Exhibits focusing on the visual arts, architecture, and design
• Futuristic underground walkway connecting the complex's two main buildings
• Surrounding garden designed by landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx
• Signature Niemeyer elements including sinuous pedestrian ramps and sculptural volumes

Visiting tips

Be sure to take the futuristic underground walkway that connects the main building directly to the distinctive eye-shaped annex.

How long: 2-3 hours · Best time: Daytime

How to get there & what’s nearby

Oscar Niemeyer Museum is easy to reach on Curitiba’s public transport. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Curitiba travel guide.