Over the last decade, the city center of Rio de Janeiro went through a qualitative transformation with the development of a cultural circuit and the renovation of the public space. The Museu Marítimo do Brasil strengthens this tendency and provides a unique setting for the exhibition of its heritage on an old naval infrastructure.

Given the characteristics of the site, the museum is divided into two buildings: a front building connected with the public space in the Orla containing auditorium and offices, and a main building on the old pier accommodating the museum collection and all other public facilities. The buildings are connected with a footbridge.

At the entrance hall the guests can purchase the tickets and cross the water to the museum by the bridge . From the hall there is the access to the auditorium, that can work independently from the museum.

On the other side of the bridge the visitor enters the main building. This building is composed by a horizontal volume that rests on double high columns, allowing the sea view from the Orla. This creates ample covered spaces that shelter some major pieces of the collection. A restaurant with sea view can work independently from the museum, and it´s linked to the museum lobby in Level 1. From there, the visitor can take the elevator to the rooftop, or take a sculptural stair that leads the flow to Level 2, entirely dedicated to temporary and permanent exhibition space. The lobby splits the temporary from the permanent exhibition, allowing these sectors to be visited independently. This space consists in a closed linear nave, opened strategically to allow light entries and overlooks of the beautiful surroundings.