Museu Casa Brasileira

Built in 1945, this big yellow Palladian villa was long the home of Fábio da Silva Prado, the patriarch of one of São Paulo's leading establishment families. Inside the long graceful hallways the museum displays the usual assortment of haute-bourgeois artifacts: ornate jacaranda-wood furniture, fancy porcelain, silver plate, the token oil painting by Portinari. If you've seen similar collections elsewhere -- like at Rio's Museu Chácara do Céu -- there's no need to come here. If you've missed out so far, the standard collection is very nicely displayed in this museum. The rare lithographs of 18th-century Rio hidden in the ground-to-first floor staircase are a nice bonus.

Tip: The best part of the museum may be the restaurant, the Quinta do Museu, housed appropriately enough in the mansion's kitchen. Seating is in the old dining room or on the luscious back patio under the shade of a spreading rubber tree. The kitchen prepares a good selection of light lunches, including grilled salmon, salads, and sandwiches (R$13-R$25/US$4.30-US$8.25) and better yet, there's a large lawn where kids can run around while adults dine in peace.