Photography is one of the most honest and insightful representations of Brazilian history available to the public. Photos are a precious resource, telling stories, depicting life from the times of slavery, tracking the development of the city and its resident's recreations, and charting some of the political and historical moments that have defined the nation.

These relics are constantly being compiled and collected by libraries, institutes and galleries across the city of Rio, conscious as people are of their seminal role in collective memory of a beautiful, rich and often troubled past.