The Imperial Museum is a staple of day trips to Petrópolis from Rio de Janeiro, which also tend to cover Casa do Alemão, São Pedro de Alcântara Cathedral, Santos Dumont House Museum, Rua Santa Teresa, and the Crystal Palace. There are thousands of artifacts inside the Imperial Museum that outline the history of Brazil. Don’t miss the collection of crown jewels—600 diamonds and 77 pearls adorn the imperial crown.
The Imperial Museum is located one hour north of downtown Rio de Janeiro along BR-040. You can take a bus to Petrópolis bus station from the long distance bus terminal in Rio, then taxi to the museum. Alternatively, join a tour with round-trip transport to save the hassle of taking public transport.
The museum is open from mid-morning until early evening, Tuesday through Sunday. Visit during the summer to escape the heat of Rio de Janeiro and expect long lines during Carnival.
Each evening from Thursday to Saturday the Imperial Museum hosts a sound and light show that illuminates the palace exterior with colorful choreographed lights. The show is only in Portuguese and tells the story of the end of the Brazilian monarchy.
