the imperial palace, or paço imperial, is an architecturally stunning building, built in the late 18th century to house the monarchy of brazil. in 1984 the national artistic heritage institute (iphan) decided to make paço imperial a national treasure so it is well worth a look. the space has hosted many art exhibitions as well as cinema and musical events.

and last but not least is the centro cultural banco do brasil, which used to be the bank of brazil - nowadays it  houses many auditoriums, video cabins, and exhibition halls, offering a plethora of things to see as well as some great restaurants.