Modern Rio: Museum of Tomorrow & Samba School Behind the Scenes
From US$ 400 Group total — not per person
★ 4.9 · 800+ verified reviews TripAdvisor Cadastur licensed Since 2013 ~15,000 travellers
About This Tour
This is a private guided tour in Rio de Janeiro with full logistics, local expertise, and iconic landmark coverage built for a smooth day.
The port district of Rio de Janeiro — the area around Praça Mauá and the old harbor — sat largely derelict for decades, a relic of an industrial past that the city had moved beyond. For the 2016 Olympic Games, Rio invested heavily in its revitalization: a new boulevard, new tram line, new museums, and a new aquarium transformed the area into one of the most interesting cultural districts in South America. The Modern Rio tour explores the best of it.
The Museum of Tomorrow (Museu do Amanhã) is the centerpiece — a Santiago Calatrava building completed in 2015 that has become one of Rio's most photographed structures. The Spanish architect's cantilevered steel and concrete design, with moving solar panels that track the sun, extends over the bay like a creature in motion. Inside, the museum is an immersive exploration of sustainability, climate science, and humanity's relationship with the planet — not a static collection of objects, but a sequence of interactive environments that require at least 90 minutes to experience properly. It is one of the few museums in Rio built around ideas rather than objects.
AquaRio is South America's largest aquarium, opened in 2016 in a converted industrial building adjacent to the Museum of Tomorrow. The 8,000 animals across 350 species include the signature submarine tunnel — a 20-meter walk-through tube with sharks, rays, and large pelagic fish swimming overhead and on either side. Budget at least 60 minutes.
The behind-the-scenes visit to a Rio Carnival samba school is the most unusual element of the tour — and for many visitors, the most memorable. Carnival is not a spontaneous event. It is the result of year-round preparation by Rio's samba schools (escolas de samba), each of which has thousands of members working through the year on floats, costumes, music, and choreography for a 70-minute performance that will be judged by a panel of experts. The visit takes you into the galpão — the warehouse where the floats are constructed — and gives you access to the people, the process, and the scale of what Carnival actually involves. Available Tuesday to Saturday; if your tour falls on a Sunday or Monday this portion is adjusted.
The National Historical Museum, housed in a colonial fortress complex at the edge of the port district, covers 500 years of Brazilian history through one of South America's largest collections of historical artifacts, weapons, carriages, and documents.
Not available on Mondays. The tour runs Tuesday to Sunday.
Included: private door-to-door transportation, certified local guide, Museum of Tomorrow entrance, AquaRio entrance, samba school visit, National Historical Museum entrance, and complimentary bottled water. Meals are not included.
Looking for something more local and immersive?
Explore ExperiencesWhat you'll see
- 01 Museum of Tomorrow
- 02 AquaRio aquarium
- 03 National Historical Museum
- 04 Carnival samba school behind-the-scenes
What's Included
- Private transportation
- Certified local guide (English)
- All museum entrance fees
- Pickup and drop-off anywhere in Rio (hotels, Airbnbs, airports, and the cruise port)
- Complimentary bottled water
Not Included
- Meals and drinks
- Gratuities
Good to Know
- 01 The Museum of Tomorrow is interactive and genuinely immersive — allow at least 90 minutes inside. Don't rush it for the sake of the other attractions.
- 02 The Carnival samba school visit is available Tuesday to Saturday only. If your tour falls on a Sunday or Monday, this portion of the experience is replaced — confirm when booking.
- 03 AquaRio is South America's largest aquarium — the submarine tunnel walk-through with sharks and rays overhead is the highlight. Budget at least 60 minutes.
- 04 The port district (Porto Maravilha) where these attractions are clustered was completely revitalized for the 2016 Olympics — your guide's urban history context adds a fascinating layer to the visit.
- 05 Not available on Mondays — Museum of Tomorrow is closed. The tour runs Tuesday to Sunday.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Museum of Tomorrow (Museu do Amanhã) was designed by Santiago Calatrava and opened in 2015. It explores humanity's possible futures through stunning interactive exhibits covering science, environment, and technology. The building itself -- a white futuristic structure extending over Guanabara Bay -- is an architectural landmark. Highly recommended for all ages.
The behind-the-scenes Carnival samba school experience is available Tuesday to Saturday. It's not available on Sundays or Mondays. During the month of February (Carnival season), schedules may vary -- contact us to confirm availability for your specific date.
Not available on Mondays -- the Museum of Tomorrow and National Historical Museum are closed on Mondays. The Carnival experience is additionally only available Tuesday to Saturday.
AquaRio is South America's largest aquarium with over 8,000 marine animals including sharks, rays, and sea turtles. It's an excellent experience for adults -- the submarine tunnel and deep-sea exhibits are genuinely impressive. You don't need children in the group to enjoy it.
The samba school visit works best when you engage with the artisans and ask questions through your guide. These are the people who spend months crafting the elaborate floats and costumes for Carnival. The energy in the workshop is electric even off-season.
Pricing & Payment
- How it works:After you click Book Now and submit your booking request, we'll review the details and send a secure payment link by email.
- Payment deadline:Full payment must be completed at least 72 hours (3 days) before the tour date.
- Last-minute bookings:Reservations made within 72 hours of the tour require immediate payment to secure availability. The payment link will be sent as soon as possible.
- Accepted methods:Credit and debit cards, processed securely via Stripe.
- Important:Bookings that remain unpaid will be automatically released 72 hours before the tour. Reminder notifications are sent by email and WhatsApp.
- Free cancellation:Cancel free of charge up to 72 hours (3 days) before your tour start time.
- Changes or rescheduling:To cancel, modify, or reschedule your tour, please contact us by email or WhatsApp as soon as possible. We'll do our best to accommodate adjustments whenever feasible.
- Late cancellations:Tours canceled less than 72 hours before the start date are non-refundable.
- Weather Conditions:If severe weather conditions make the tour unsafe or unviable, we'll offer a full refund or the option to reschedule at no additional cost.
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