Ricardo Brennand, was a British descended Brazilian collector and businessman, who began to amass a collection of arms and armoury from all over the world in 1940. Much later, he grew interested in art and artefacts relating to Dutch colonial Brazil. In 2002, his collection was made into a fascinating museum in a Tudor-style castle complex of 77,000 square meters, surrounded by a 18,000 hectares garden.

At the museum, you’ll find:

• Armoury: With 3000 objects covering weapons (daggers, stilettos, swords, maces, flails, halberds, crossbows, knives, pocketknives), full plate armours, shields, helmets, gauntlets and chain mails; this is one of the largest collections of its kind in the world.
• Decorative arts, furniture and tapestries: objects from Europe, Asia and Africa, from as far back as the 17th century, including stained glass windows, furniture, candelabra, Chinese ceramics and musical instruments
• Dutch Brazil: a collection with an intense focus on the 17th century Dutch occupation of Brazilian Northeast, including one of the largest collections of paintings by Frans Post, collections of emergency coins, manuscripts, silverware and other artefacts.
• Visual arts: paintings, sculptures, prints and drawings dating back to the 15th century, mostly Brazil related, but a decent European collection too.

• R$ 10.00 for disabled, seniors, students, and teachers.
• Free for under 7.
• Free on the last Tuesday of the month.

• Buses 302, 432 stop Rua Isaac Buril, 1443
• Buses 202, 330, 424 stop Rua Luiz Freire, 900
• Buses 202, 302, 330, 424, 431, 432, 440, 2902 stop Rua Helio Ramos, 56

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