Attraction
MASP – Museu de Arte de São Paulo
São Paulo's best-known art museum, raised above Avenida Paulista on Lina Bo Bardi's suspended concrete structure and holding more than 8,000 works from Raphael to Portinari.
Museu da Língua Portuguesa
An interactive museum about the Portuguese language inside the 1901 Estação da Luz station, rebuilt after a 2015 fire and topped with a rooftop terrace.
At a glance
- Type
- Language museum
- Area
- Luz, São Paulo, Brazil
- Opening
- Open 6 days a week (closed Monday) · 09:00–18:00
- Official site
- museudalinguaportuguesa.org.br
Good to know
- Rooftop terrace
- Interactive exhibits
- Café
- Shop
- Libras content
Why we recommend it
The Museu da Língua Portuguesa opened in March 2006 inside the Estação da Luz, the railway station from 1901 where many immigrants arriving in São Paulo first heard Portuguese. The museum was conceived by the São Paulo state culture department with the Roberto Marinho Foundation, and the architectural project was by Paulo and Pedro Mendes da Rocha, father and son. A fire on 21 December 2015 badly damaged the building and killed a firefighter; after reconstruction the museum reopened with a new main exhibition, and in 2026 it is marking its 20th anniversary with the exhibition Luz da Língua.
The main exhibition is spread over the upper floors and is designed to be explored rather than read. On the second floor, Línguas do Mundo lets you hear 23 languages linked to Brazil through Indigenous peoples or immigration, and Laços de Família traces Portuguese back through the Indo-European family. Rua da Língua is a 106-metre screen running the length of the building with visual and sound poetry. Beco das Palavras is a game in which you join syllables to build words and discover their origins, while eight interactive totems show how Tupinambá, Yoruba, French and Spanish shaped Brazilian Portuguese. Nós da Língua covers other Portuguese-speaking countries such as Portugal, Angola, Mozambique and Cabo Verde.
The third floor brings Falares, where you can listen to regional and social accents, a corridor with graffiti by Daniel Melim, and the Praça da Língua, a light-and-sound show of Brazilian literature and music projected onto the roof. The visit ends on the terrace, with a view over central São Paulo and the station's clock tower, which chimes every half hour.
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, with entry between 9:00 and 16:30 and visitors able to stay until 18:00. Entry is free on certain dates, including the Dia Nacional da Cultura on 5 November. Most content is in Portuguese, but the audio and visual installations work well even with limited knowledge of the language. Allow around two hours.
It suits families, students and anyone interested in Brazil's culture. The Pinacoteca is also on Praça da Luz, next to the Jardim da Luz, so the two combine easily into a half day. The Museu do Futebol offers a discounted ticket for this museum when booked online.
Museu da Língua Portuguesa FAQs
When is the museum open?
Tuesday to Sunday, with entry from 9:00 to 16:30 and visits allowed until 18:00.
Where is the entrance?
The museum is inside the Estação da Luz railway station on Praça da Luz.
Is the museum in English?
Most texts are in Portuguese, but many installations are based on sound, video and interaction, so they work for non-speakers too.
Are there free days?
Yes, on certain dates. For example, entry is free on 5 November, the Dia Nacional da Cultura.
What happened to the museum in 2015?
A fire on 21 December 2015 damaged the building; it was rebuilt and reopened with a new main exhibition.
Is there a view from the top?
Yes. The visit ends on a rooftop terrace overlooking central São Paulo and the station clock tower.
Is it good for children?
Yes. Games such as Beco das Palavras and the listening stations are popular with families.
What is nearby?
The Pinacoteca and the Jardim da Luz are both on Praça da Luz, a short walk away.