One of these bodies is the Instituto Histórico e Geográfico Brasileiro (Brazilian Historical and Geographical Institute), located in Glória, which collects, organizes and publishes documents and artifacts related to the history and geography of Brazil.

The sophisticated Halls of the great building are also used for conferences, meetings, courses, and are home to an impressive library collection, made up of thousands of titles from the 16th to the 19th Century - one of the most significant collections on the history of Brazil.