Carmen Miranda MUSEUM - Rio de Janeiro (Sights & Attractions in Rio de Janeiro)

Member Name: dooeyyooey

Product:	Sights & Attractions in Rio de Janeiro
Date:	25/05/09 (70 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Piece of cinema history

Disadvantages: Small

A city as large and vibrant as Rio de Janeiro has plenty of attractions to see and things to do.

In this review I am focusing on a little gem we found practically by accident: The Carmen Miranda Museum

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Carmen Miranda
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If you don't know who Carmen Miranda was, here's a little bio:

She was born in 1909 in Várzea da Ovelha, northeast Portugal. Her family emigrated to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, when she was 10 months old.

She began a singing career and by 1930 was one of Brazil's biggest stars, also appearing in films.

In 1939 she went to the United States with her band, and her career was encouraged by the American government, who thought her popularity would help their Good Neighbor policy (intended to strengthen links with Europe and South America).

Carmen became a Broadway and Hollywood star, appearing in 14 films which included Down Argentine Way (1940), That Night In Rio (1940), Weekend In Havana (1941), The Gang's all Here (1943), Copacabana (1947), and A Date With Judy (1948), among many others.
Her co-stars included Groucho Marx, Don Ameche, Alice Faye, Betty Grable and Elizabeth Taylor.

In 1945 Carmen Miranda became de highest-paid woman in the United States and earned more than most men, including the President.
In 1951, she again was the highest paid female entertainer in the U.S.

Her last film was Scared Stiff (1953), with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.

She died on August 5, 1955, from a heart attack, at the age of 46.


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THE MUSEUM
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The museum is situated in a park on Avenida Rui Barbosa, in the Flamengo neighbourhood. By "park" I mean a small stretch of land surrounded by serious traffic. Some 4 lanes of it.

We had found out about it in an illustrated map that showed the location of the different cultural attractions in the city.
We had never heard or read anything about it during the research we did in preparation for our trip, and we decided to check it out.

We weren't alone in our ignorance, as our taxi driver had never heard of it either and said he knew the area quite well and had never noticed any museums in that park. "It's on the map, so it must be there".

To our bafflement, when we arrived at the site and looked around, we couldn't see it either!
So we asked some maintenance workers who were in the park if they knew anything about a Carmen Miranda Museum that was supposed to be there, and they pointed to a small, round, concrete structure that looked like some kind of storage building.

We approached it totally bemused.
Sure enough, as we entered the building we were greeted by a display of near life-size photos and artefacts of the artist, confirming that we were in the right place.
Looking at it from the outside, one would never have guessed that it was dedicated to the life and work of one of the most colourful, flamboyant figures in the history of entertainment.

~~ Inside on display is the collection of Carmen Miranda's original costumes, which she wore in the films that she starred in.

~~ Also on display are the high platform shoes she often wore when performing, to compensate for her short height.

~~ And what is probably the most recognisable part of the Carmen Miranda's iconography: the huge fruitilicious turbans she wore as part of her costumes.

Each item is accompanied by a still of the scenes in which Carmen wore it.

As mentioned above, the building is circular, so as we enter, whether we turn left or right, all there is to do is keep walking and eventually we will end up exactly where we started.

There is also an audiovisual section, where you can watch the biography, documentaries and films of the artist, just ask the receptionists and they will put it on for you.
As we were tired from sightseeing all around the city, we took the oportunity to rest and sat there to watch a documentary featuring footage of her work and interviews with many of the Hollywood stars who were her friends and colleagues.

There is also a small selection of gifts you can purchase, like carrier bags, hats, etc...

While we were there, a reporter approached us to interview us about our visit to the museum, and what we had thought of it.

We left wondering why such a non-descript place had been chosen for a tribute to one of the most iconic artists in Brazilian culture, and, in her time, one of the most successful in Hollywood.

Finding this museum was such an unexpected treat.
It is quite small, and really won't take much time to see.
It will obviously appeal to fans of Carmen Miranda, but if you have an interest in the golden age of Hollywood cinema, or even just cinema in general, you might enjoy it.

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CARMEN MIRANDA MUSEUM

Avenida Rui Barbosa (across the street from no 560, Flamengo)

Entrance: 3 Reals (about £1)

Opening Times:

Tuesday-Friday: 11am-5pm

Saturday & Sunday: 1pm-5pm

Closed on Mondays.

Summary: Tribute to cultural icon.