Marooned on the banks of the Black River and reachable only by boat, the museum and recreated rubber estate is one of the Amazon region’s most unique sites. Visitors can step inside a former rubber baron’s home, explore the workers’ living quarters, and see live latex extracting demonstrations.
Tours from Manaus typically include round-trip transportation by boat, a guided tour of the rubber estate, and a swimming stop at Tupé Beach during the return trip to town. Combine a visit to the Rubber Museum with a stop at the Teatro Amazonas, which owes its existence to the wealth of the rubber boom.
The Museu do Seringal Vila Paraíso is located on the Igarapé São João waterway, around 20 minutes by boat from Marina do Davi in Ponta Negra. Visitors traveling independently can often hire a boat themselves, but it’s often more convenient to take a guided tour.
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday throughout the year. Plan to visit on a day with little rain in the forecast, as the visit involves a boat ride and several outdoor areas on the rubber estate grounds.
The Rubber Museum ranks among the best in Manaus, but it’s not the only one worth visiting. The Manaus Opera House (also known as The Amazon Theater) has a museum chronicling the history of the building and its connection to the rubber boom. For deep dives into the region’s ecology and biodiversity, visit the Museu da Amazonia (MUSA), an outdoor preserve with nature trails and a 135-foot (41-meter) observation tower.