Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, known locally as CCBB, is one of Rio de Janeiro’s leading arts venues, housed in a neoclassical bank building dating to 1906 in the city’s downtown Centro district. Run by the Bank of Brazil, it combines exhibition galleries, three theaters, a cinema, a library, and a bookstore under one roof.
The permanent collection includes historic coins and artifacts tracing Brazilian financial and cultural history, while temporary exhibitions bring in major touring shows that have covered everything from British punk culture to Islamic art. Between exhibits, the on-site theaters and cinema keep a busy calendar of plays, concerts, and film screenings.
General admission to the galleries is free, though theater and cinema tickets are sold separately. It’s an easy stop to combine with a walk through downtown Rio’s colonial-era streets, and a good rainy-day option when beach plans fall through.
