This green neo-gothic 19th century palace, which sits on its own miniature island in the city, was the site of the last Imperial Ball. Nowadays it forms part of the Cultural Complex of the Brazilian Navy in Rio de Janeiro, and has a museum open to the public. Among its attractions there are permanent and temporary exhibitions that reveal the history of the island and the Navy.

The National Historical Museum, established in 1922, is truly a must see museum with some 300,000 items on display. This includes the largest collection of old coins and notes in all of Latin America. The complex that houses the museum is from Fort Santiago in Ponta Dungeon, which was one of the strategic points for defending the city of Rio de Janeiro.

Located in the Catete neighborhood, this palace is another of Rio's fine examples of neoclassical architecture. It was the seat of power in Brazil from 1897 until 1960, when Brasilia became the country's capital. Today it hosts a museum as well as extensive gardens that are open to the public.

This museum boasts a rich collection of some 14,000 ethnographic and historical pieces relating to Brazil's indigenous peoples. The center also holds 16,000 domestic and foreign publications specializing in their anthropology and history.

The Historical Army Museum stands out because of its location - in an 18th Century fort on top of a cliff. Its exhibitions highlight Brazil's military history from colonial times through to the country's involvement in World War II.