This is an open invitation for you to visit the museums of São Paulo. After all, the capital has more than 100 museums. In addition to cultural centers and institutions that offer free programming every day of the week or on specific days.
Since there’s so much to see, we’ve put together 15 must-see museums and cultural centers in SP that you can visit and pay nothing for. Check out the list and plan your next cultural outing.
Caixa Cultural
The art deco building houses the Caixa Museum, but also hosts various temporary exhibitions. The unit is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 7pm at the former regional headquarters of Caixa Federal. Check out the program by clicking here.
🎟️ Free entry for all
📍 Praça da Sé, 111 – Historic Center of São Paulo
House of Roses
The classic French-style mansion is a remnant of the residential era of Avenida Paulista. Today, it is dedicated to various cultural events, with a focus on literature and poetry. The space is open from Tuesday to Saturday, from 10am to 10pm, and Sundays and public holidays, from 10am to 6pm. In addition to the house, you can also visit the beautiful garden.
🎟️ Free entry for everyone by appointment
📍 Avenida Paulista, 37 – Bela Vista
Banco do Brasil Cultural Center
Banco do Brasil’s first building in São Paulo is now home to one of the city’s hottest cultural centers. This is due to the success of exhibitions such as ‘Ancient Egypt’, about Egyptian society, and ‘Leandro Erlich: The tension’, which recreated a swimming pool in the center of the first floor. In terms of structure, the space has rooms, a cinema, a theater and an auditorium. It is open from Wednesday to Monday, from 9am to 9pm.
🎟️ Free entry for everyone by appointment. Click here
📍 Rua Álvares Penteado, 112 – Historic Center of São Paulo
Moreira Salles Institute
Opened in 2017, the IMS has a belvedere , a movie theater, a photography library, classrooms, as well as exhibitions that take place on the building’s floors, most of them focused on photography. The space is open from Tuesday to Sunday and public holidays, from 10am to 8pm; Thursdays, from 10am to 10 pm.
🎟️ Free entry for everyone to the cultural center and exhibitions
📍 Avenida Paulista, 2424 – Consolação
Itaú Cultural
The space dedicated to the appreciation of Brazilian culture is open from Tuesday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, Sunday and public holidays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. There, you’ll find the Olavo Setubal Space, a permanent exhibition that brings together works from two collections: Brasiliana Itaú and Itaú Numismática. This is where the iconic white staircase is located.
🎟️ Free entry for all
📍 Avenida Paulista, 149 – Bela Vista
FIESP Cultural Center
The venue run by Sesi-SP has a diverse artistic program and opens its doors from Tuesday to Saturday, from 10am to 10pm, and Sunday, from 10am to 8pm.
🎟️ Free entry for everyone by appointment. Click here
📍 Avenida Paulista, 1.313 – Bela Vista
Museum of Contemporary Art – MAC USP
Considered one of the most important art spaces in Latin America, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC USP) has a collection of more than 10,000 works, including sculptures, photographs, drawings, paintings and works of conceptual and contemporary art. Visiting days and times are: Tuesday, from 10am to 9pm; and Wednesday to Sunday, from 10am to 6pm.
🎟️ Free entry for all
📍 Avenida Pedro Álvares Cabral, 1301 – Vila Mariana
Immigration Museum
O Immigration Museum is a must for anyone who likes to learn about culture, immigration, diasporas and origins. Through its collection, the space preserves the history of the people who arrived in Brazil. Visits take place from Tuesday to Saturday, from 9am to 5pm, and on Sundays from 10am to 5pm.
🎟️ Free for everyone on Saturdays
📍 Rua Visconde de Parnaíba, 1316 – Mooca
Afro Brazil Museum
Located in the Padre Manoel da Nóbrega Pavilion, inside Ibirapuera Park, the collection has more than 6,000 items. Among them are paintings, sculptures and photographs, including Brazilian and foreign authors, with works produced between the 18th century and the present day. It is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10am to 5pm, until 6pm.
🎟️ On Wednesday, admission is free for everyone
📍 Avenida Pedro Álvares Cabral, gate 10 – Vila Mariana
Pinacoteca of the State of São Paulo
SP’s oldest art museum is close to the Light Station. The historic building was erected in 1900 to house the Lyceum of Arts and Crafts, but later became the museum we know today. Plan your visit between Wednesday and Monday from 10am to 5.30pm, staying until 6pm.
🎟️ Free for everyone on Saturdays
📍 Praça da Luz, 02 – Luz
Masp
The most iconic museum on Avenida Paulista and the city’s postcard has traveling exhibitions and a permanent collection of around 10,000 items of art from around the world. Visits take place from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10am to 6pm.
🎟️ Free every Tuesday and first Thursday of the month
📍 Avenida Paulista, 1578 – Bela Vista
Museum of Sacred Art of São Paulo
The study and preservation of religiosity focuses on the BUT. Visit the museum from Tuesday to Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., until 5 p.m.
🎟️ Free for everyone on Saturdays
📍 Avenida Tiradentes, 676 – Luz
Catavento Museum
The interactive science museum offers more than 200 installations with fun content about the universe, life, ingenuity and society. The space is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 5pm.
🎟️ Free for everyone on Tuesdays
📍 Avenida Mercúrio, Parque Dom Pedro II – Brás
Soccer Museum
Just as the city is very diverse, SP’s museums are no exception. As well as art, religion and science venues, the capital also has the Soccer Museum, aimed at the most popular sport in the world. To find out more, visit from Tuesday to Sunday, from 9am to 5pm, until 6pm.
🎟️ Free for everyone on Tuesdays
📍 Charles Miller Square – Pacaembu
MuBE – Brazilian Museum of Sculpture and Ecology
To round off our list of sp museums, the MuBE brings together several exhibitions in its program. The most recent is ‘Chromatic Landscape’ by Amélia Toledo which is a hit because it has sand covering the entire pavilion. Visit from Tuesday to Sunday, from 11am to 5pm.
🎟️ Free entry for all
📍 Rua Alemanha, 221 – Jardim Europa