Museu Cais do Sertão
R$The Museu Cais do Sertão occupies Warehouse 10 (Armazém 10) of the Port of Recife, on Avenida Alfredo Lisboa, in the Bairro do Recife district. The permanent exhibition presents the sertão, the semi-arid backlands of Brazil's Northeast, and the work of Luiz Gonzaga. It is a good fit for families, couples and older visitors, and works well on a rainy day.
Part of the guide Recife
Getting there from Porto de Galinhas
The museum is on the same avenue as Marco Zero, about 50 to 65 km from Porto de Galinhas, around 1 hour by car without traffic. By bus, lines 191 and 195 run to the Cais de Santa Rita terminal in central Recife in about 2 hours; the fare cost R$ 14.80 to R$ 21.60 in 2025.
Hours and admission
Closed on Mondays. Open Tuesday to Friday, 10:00 to 16:00, and on Saturdays and Sundays, 11:00 to 17:00, with last entry 30 minutes before closing. Admission is R$ 10, and the half-price ticket is R$ 5. On Tuesdays, entry is free for everyone. Groups can book their visit by e-mail.
What to see
The permanent exhibition, O Mundo do Sertão (The World of the Sertão), brings together objects that belonged to Luiz Gonzaga, videos, the musician's discography and a house of clay and exposed brick set up as a sertão home. The route includes clothing from the cangaço, the bandit movement of the backlands, and the film Um dia no Sertão, shown every half hour. Outside, the facade uses cobogós (hollow ceramic blocks) that reproduce the cracked ground of the sertão. Secondary spaces host temporary exhibitions, and the building has a rooftop bar and restaurant. The museum opened in 2014.
Before you go
Part of the content is in audio, so bring headphones. The museum is wheelchair accessible, has audio description and offers guided tours of about 1 hour.