The contemporary science museum, which has taken five years to build, is located in the city centre’s Porto Maravilha district -the site of the largest urban development project in Brazil.
The Museum of Tomorrow will allow the public to see the future of Rio and how it will evolve in the next 50 years, looking at climate change, population growth and the fields of matter, life and thoughts.
Exploring across two floors and 5,000sq m of exhibition space, visitors can participate in 27 experiments and 35 ‘sub-experiences’ based around the concepts of Earth, the cosmos and the passage of time.
"The city of Rio de Janeiro is setting an example to the world of how to recover quality urban spaces through drastic intervention and the creation of cultural facilities such as the Museum of Tomorrow and the new Museum of Art. This vision led us, in our first designs, to propose the addition of a plaza outside the Museum. The plaza creates a more cohesive urban space and reflects the neighborhood’s greater transformation.
The idea is that the building feels ethereal, almost floating on the sea, like a ship, a bird or a plant. Because of the changing nature of the exhibits, we have introduced an archetypal structure inside the building. This simplicity allows for the functional versatility of the Museum, able to accommodate conferences or act as a research space," said Santiago Calatrava.
Porto Maravilha is at the heart of Rio’s socioeconomic development ambitions, and its regeneration was among the commitments made by the Brazilian government for the 2016 Olympic Games. The area, which stretches 5 million sqm, is being developed into one of the city’s most attractive locations. New public space is being created, 15,000 trees are being planted, while new cultural sites, including the Art Museum of Rio de Janeiro, will soon join the Museum of Tomorrow in the area.
The museum has been awarded the highest standard of LEED certification for its sustainable elements. The permanent exhibition space is housed in the building's top floor. It features a 10-meter-high roof that frames panoramic views of Guanabara Bay.
The cost of the museum has not been revealed. The project was developed by the municipality of Rio de Janeiro and the Roberto Marinho Foundation. It received sponsorship from Santander bank and energy firm BG Brazil, plus funding from the government's department of the environment.
