The history of Brazil, and by extension Rio, is diverse, exciting and wonderfully rich as reflected by the various museums spread throughout the city. For anyone to gain a true sense of the cultural heritage of the place, it is of great importance to examine first hand some of the artifacts, tools, costumes, currency, and other seminal objects that existed in, and constituted the history and development of the contemporary world.

A handful of the cultural centers that pepper the city have a strong museological focus to provide visitors with understanding of this historical depth. One of these institutions is the Centro Cultural Municipal Laurinda Santos Lobo (Laurinda Santos Lobo Municipal Cultural Center), which was created in 1979 at the suggestion of a number of esteemed residents of the district of Santa Teresa, led by the playwright Paschoal Carlos Magno.