Strangely enough, Rio de Janeiro’s most famous building is actually not in Rio but across the bay in Niterói − a separate municipality that houses the landmark Museu de Arte Contemporânea. The museum is designed by Brazil’s most famous architect, Oscar Niemeyer, and resembles a snow white flying saucer, which stands in sharp contrast with the (usually) bright blue sky.
More than half a century ago, architect Oscar Niemeyer built an entire new capital from scratch – Brasília is now on the World Heritage List as the showpiece of Modernist architecture. When Niemeyer passed away in 2012 at the age of 104, he had led a long and productive life. At the age of 89, Niemeyer designed the Museu de Arte Contemporânea with a very specific location in mind: the rocky outcrop next to beautiful Boa Viagem beach, with sweeping views of Sugarloaf Mountain and the stunning skyline of Rio itself.
“Niemeyer’s UFO can be seen just beyond the small island of Boa Viagem”