Paço de São Cristóvão Palace

Address: Quinta da Boa Vista, São Cristóvão, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Paço de São Cristóvão is the imperial palace in Rio de Janeiro that historically served as the royal and later imperial residence and later housed Brazil’s National Museum. The palace is located within the Quinta da Boa Vista park in the northern part of the city.

The palace building and the surrounding Quinta da Boa Vista grounds form an urban park with avenues and landscaped areas; prior to 2018 the palace contained extensive museum collections that drew researchers and visitors. The estate remains an important historic and cultural landmark in Rio’s urban fabric.

Originally part of royal and imperial urban estates, the palace was the residence of Brazil’s monarchs during the 19th century and later became the National Museum. In September 2018 a major fire severely damaged the museum’s collections and the palace interior, an event that significantly altered the site’s use and preservation needs.

The paço sits within Quinta da Boa Vista in the northern zone of Rio de Janeiro, a short drive from the city center and adjacent to residential neighborhoods and other cultural facilities.

• 2018 museum fire: Housed the National Museum of Brazil until it was largely destroyed by fire in 2018; many collections were lost or damaged in that event.
• Park setting: The site is part of the larger Quinta da Boa Vista park complex and is accessible from Rio de Janeiro’s northern neighborhoods.

What to See#

• Imperial Palace: The former Imperial Palace building served as the main residence of Brazil’s emperors and later housed the National Museum collections until the 2018 fire. The building is set within the Quinta da Boa Vista estate and dates to the 19th century.
• Quinta da Boa Vista: Quinta da Boa Vista is the surrounding park and royal grounds in Rio de Janeiro that contain botanical areas, avenues, and the palace site, historically serving as the royal and imperial family’s urban estate.

Paço de São Cristóvão is in the Quinta da Boa Vista park in the São Cristóvão neighbourhood of Rio de Janeiro. Nearest train: São Cristóvão station (SuperVia); local buses and taxis serve the park entrances.

• Note that the Paço de São Cristóvão hosted the National Museum collection before the 2018 fire; check current programming and restorations before visiting.
• Approach the Quinta da Boa Vista park on foot to see the palace's neoclassical façade from the garden view.
• Combine a visit with the surrounding botanical gardens and the zoo area in Quinta da Boa Vista.