Inhotim
All of Brazil, within reach.
A white field with a red equilateral triangle bearing the Latin motto 'Libertas quae sera tamen' (freedom, albeit late), taken from the flag proposed by the Inconfidência Mineira conspirators of 1789. It was made official by State Law 2,793 of 1963, and the triangle is traditionally read as a symbol of the Holy Trinity.
Inhotim in pictures
About Inhotim
Inhotim is a contemporary art museum and botanical garden in Brumadinho, a municipality of about 39,000 people some 60 km from Belo Horizonte. It was created by the former mining entrepreneur Bernardo Paz on a private estate whose gardens were shaped from the 1980s, first by Pedro Nehring and then by Luiz Carlos Orsini. The institute was founded in 2004 to house his collection, opened to the public in 2006 and became a non-profit public-interest institute in 2008. Today it describes itself as one of the largest open-air museums in the world: more than 140 hectares open to visitors, plus some 250 hectares of private nature reserve, in a landscape of Atlantic Forest and Cerrado. More than 900 works by around 50 artists from over 18 countries are shown in some 20 galleries and outdoor installations, including permanent pavilions devoted to Hélio Oiticica, Tunga, Adriana Varejão, Cildo Meireles, Claudia Andujar and, since 2023, Yayoi Kusama. The botanical garden, recognised by Brazil's National Commission of Botanical Gardens in 2010, keeps more than 4,300 native and exotic species, with lakes, palms and themed gardens between the pavilions. For agencies, Inhotim is the signature day trip from Belo Horizonte and works for art and architecture groups, incentive days, private guided visits and FIT clients who want a slow, walking-based program. One day covers the highlights; serious art lovers may want two. Plan the logistics carefully: the drive from Belo Horizonte is about 60 km, and Confins airport lies north of the city, so an overnight in Belo Horizonte is the norm. Inhotim opens Wednesday to Sunday and on holidays, from 9:30 to 16:00 on weekdays and to 17:00 at weekends, and is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The grounds are hilly and extensive, so comfortable shoes, water and use of the internal transport should be planned, and lunch should be booked at one of the on-site restaurants. Guided mediated visits can be arranged. Galleries occasionally close for maintenance, so check before confirming a program.
Belo Horizonte/Confins-Tancredo Neves International Airport
The main gateway to Minas Gerais, with domestic hubs and international routes to Portugal, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Colombia and the United States; most visitors spend a night in Belo Horizonte before driving to Inhotim.
How Inhotim came to be
Sourced milestones your team can use for guest briefings and storytelling, not filler copy.
Curiosities & practical notes
What's on the table
Tutu de feijão
Boiled beans sautéed and thickened with cassava or corn flour, a typical dish of Minas Gerais.
Frango com quiabo
Chicken cooked with okra, one of the most typical home-style dishes of Minas Gerais.
Canjiquinha
A thick Minas soup of cracked corn with pork ribs, greens and spices.
Pão de queijo
Small, soft cheese rolls made with cassava starch, eggs, milk and Minas cheese, a snack found across Minas Gerais.
Romeu e Julieta
The classic Minas dessert pairing of fresh cheese with goiabada, a firm guava paste.
Doce de leite
Slow-cooked sweetened milk, a staple of Minas confectionery eaten on its own or in desserts.
What there is to see
Marked where a site carries UNESCO World Heritage status directly, versus a locally or nationally protected landmark.
Invenção da Cor, Penetrável Magic Square #5, De Luxe
Hélio Oiticica's open-air work of coloured walls in a 15 by 15 m square, conceived in 1977 and built posthumously from his instructions.
Galeria Cosmococa
A 2010 gallery by Arquitetos Associados with a green roof, housing five immersive works by Hélio Oiticica and Neville D'Almeida.
Sonic Pavilion (Doug Aitken)
A glass pavilion of 2009 where the sound of a 202 m borehole is played live.
Galeria Adriana Varejão
A concrete gallery of 2008 by Rodrigo Cerviño Lopez, suspended over a reflecting pool, dedicated to Adriana Varejão.
Galeria Psicoativa Tunga
A large glass gallery of 2012 by Rizoma Arquitetura, set in the forest and following the site's topography.
Galeria Yayoi Kusama
A gallery of 2023 by Fernando Maculan and Maria Paz, with the works I'm Here, But Nothing and Aftermath of Obliteration of Eternity, plus Narcissus Garden outdoors.
Botanical garden
More than 4,300 species among lakes and themed gardens such as the Largo das Orquídeas, recognised as a botanical garden in 2010.
What else we brief agencies on
This is what we prepare for every RFP, whether or not it's published on this page yet:
On request for every proposal
- Best season / weather windows and blackout dates for groups & MICE
- Permit and quota logistics for regulated attractions, lead time and group-size caps
- Accessibility notes and physical-difficulty ratings per activity
- Vetted ground partners, guides and transport already used on past programs
- Sustainability / certification credentials relevant to client RFPs, where they genuinely exist
- Real, checked room and vehicle availability for your travel dates, not a generic quote
