Located in the waterfront Flamengo park, the MAM is a long, large, rectangular building lofted off the ground by an arcade of concrete struts, giving the structure the appearance of an airplane wing. Inside, like the arches of a Gothic cathedral, the concrete struts do all the load-bearing work, allowing for walls of solid plate glass that welcome views of both city and sea.
The structure also provides a vast interior display area free of pillars and other obstructions. Displays change constantly — check the website to see what’s on — but at all times the MAM presents the best of what’s happening in Brazil and Latin America, as well as providing a temporary home to big traveling international exhibits. Signage — a rare bonus — is in both English and Portuguese. The MAM also has a cafe, a bookstore, and a film archive containing over 20,000 Brazilian titles.