What is the Museum of Tomorrow?

The Museum of Tomorrow is a science museum that explores the possibilities of the future. Through audiovisual displays, interactive installations and games, visitors are able to examine the past, understand today's trends and imagine possible futures for the next 50 years.

Where is the Museum of Tomorrow located?

The Museum of Tomorrow was built at Pier Mauá, in the Port district of Rio de Janeiro. The project is one of the cornerstones of Porto Maravilha (a large urban renewal project) and encompasses approximately 30m² with gardens, reflective pools, a bike path and leisure areas. 

What the Museum of Tomorrow´s building look like?

The building has large moving dynamic structures that, depending on the time of day, change the museum’s exterior appearance. The project also includes a reflective pool that surrounds the building. Inside, the museum consists of two floors connected by ramps.

On the ground floor there is a museum store, an auditorium, rooms for temporary exhibitions, space for research and educational activities, a restaurant and the museum’s administrative offices. The upper floor houses the long term exhibition spaces, a panoramic lookout to admire the view and a coffee shop.

Does the design of the Museum of Tomorrow have any sustainable aspects?

Yes. The design encompasses an environmentally friendly construction, using local natural resources such as the water from the bay to lower the indoor temperature, as well as taking advantage of natural ventilation and cross-breezes whenever possible.

The museum’s futuristic design features large wings that open and close according to the sun´s intensity. These wings not only provide shade, but also house solar panels that will capture solar power. The captured solar energy is converted into electricity for the building.

The reflective pool that surrounds the building is not only filled by Guanabara´s Bay, but also serves an educational purpose: to demonstrate how the water filtering system works. Ocean water is pumped in and filtered in the pool, creating a cooler microclimate around the Museum.

How much did the Museum of Tomorrow cost?

The construction of the Museum of Tomorrow is budgeted at R$215 million. The project is funded by the sale of CEPACs (bonds sold to raise money to restore degraded urban areas) – without using any resources from the Municipal Treasury. The museum also received a R$65 million investment from its main sponsor, Banco Santander.