Why visit
Catete Palace housed the Presidency from 1897 to 1960. Getúlio Vargas governed here during the Estado Novo dictatorship, from 1937 to 1945, and returned as an elected president in 1951. His death in the palace in 1954 marked a republican crisis. When the capital moved to Brasília, the building became a museum where power, political conflict and remembrance meet.
What to look for
- Ministerial Hall on the ground floor
- Entrance hall and main staircase
- Vargas items announced on the ground floor: death mask and pajamas
How does a presidential palace become public memory?
Visiting details
Free. Palace: Wednesday–Sunday, 11am–5pm; last admission 4:30pm. Gardens: daily, 8am–6pm. Ground floor access only, according to the notice updated in July 2026.
Take the metro to Catete and walk a short distance. Ask about accessibility and open areas before visiting.
Getúlio’s bedroom is closed. The display of his belongings downstairs may change.