Rio de Janeiro: Museum of Tomorrow & Yup Star Ferris Wheel

Porto Maravilha's Three Stops: Museum, Mural, and the City from Above

You get picked up at your South Zone hotel and driven to Porto Maravilha, Rio's revitalized port district. You spend time inside the Museum of Tomorrow exploring interactive exhibits about the future, stop to photograph the Kobra Mural (one of the world's largest graffiti pieces), and ride the Yup Star ferris wheel for 360-degree views of Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain. Entry fees, transport, and air-conditioned vehicle are included. The driver drops you back at your hotel by late afternoon.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Rio's Museum and Port Area

• Pick up from hotel
• Visit Maua Square
• Tour Museum of Tomorrow
• Walk through Porto Maravilha
• Photo stop at Kobra Mural
• Ride Yup Star ferris wheel

The experience

"The ferris wheel, it shows you everything at once," our driver said as we pulled into Maua Square, the revitalized heart of Rio's port zone. He wasn't exaggerating. The day starts with hotel pickup from the South Zone. The driver arrives on time, the car is cool, and you're already moving past the neighborhoods most tourists miss. Maua Square itself is where the 2016 Olympics left its mark, and it's the threshold to everything that follows: the Museum of Tomorrow sits right here, a building that looks like it landed from another planet, all white curves and impossible angles.

Inside the Museum of Tomorrow, you're not just walking through exhibits. You're moving through questions. The whole place is built around what comes next: how we feed ourselves, how we live together, what we do with the planet. It's interactive, it's dense with ideas, and it's genuinely strange in the best way. After that, you walk into Porto Maravilha proper, the port district that got completely remade. The streets are cleaner than you'd expect, there's art everywhere, and then you turn a corner and see the Kobra Mural: one of the largest graffiti pieces in the world. Five ethnic groups, realistic faces, geometric shapes in colors that somehow work together. You stop, you take photos, and you realize you're standing in front of something that took months to create and will probably outlast most of the buildings around it.

Then comes the Yup Star ferris wheel, and this is where the day shifts. You board, the wheel turns slowly, and Rio spreads out in every direction. Christ the Redeemer is there, Sugarloaf Mountain is there, the beaches curve away, the mountains rise up behind the city. A full 360 degrees, and you're seeing it all at once: the thing the driver meant. The whole tour takes roughly four to five hours from pickup to drop-off, which is enough time to move through three completely different spaces without feeling rushed. You're back at your hotel before evening, which means you can still eat dinner somewhere, still have a night ahead of you.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off from main South Zone hotels.
• entry to the Museum of Tomorrow with internal interactive visit.
• walk through Porto Maravilha and photo stop at the Kobra Mural.
• ride on the Yup Star ferris wheel with 360-degree city views.
• all entry fees and taxes.
• air-conditioned vehicle throughout.

Before you book

Days and timesThursday to SundayDeparts at 09:30

AgesAdult (11 and older) · Child (3 to 10 years) · Infant (under 3): free

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by C2Rio Tours & Travel

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see Rio's newest attractions and get a complete view of the city from above without arranging transport, buying separate tickets, or figuring out which stops matter most: the fixed itinerary covers the three things Porto Maravilha is known for and gets you back to your hotel by late afternoon.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 10 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What's included in the tour?

Hotel pickup and drop-off from South Zone hotels, entry to the Museum of Tomorrow and Yup Star ferris wheel, all fees and taxes, and air-conditioned transport. Pickup is not available from hostels or B&Bs.

How long does the tour take?

The full tour runs roughly four to five hours from hotel pickup to drop-off, including time at each stop.

Can I bring a stroller or pram?

Yes, infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller. Infants must sit on an adult's lap in the vehicle.

Is there a best time to ride the Yup Star ferris wheel?

The ferris wheel offers 360-degree views at any time, though late afternoon or early evening light is often clearest for photos.

What if I don't have a hotel in the South Zone?

Pickup is available from main hotels in the South Zone only. If you're staying elsewhere, you'd need to arrange your own transport to Maua Square or Porto Maravilha.

Is the Museum of Tomorrow difficult to walk through?

The museum is suitable for all physical fitness levels. It's indoors and air-conditioned, with interactive exhibits you move through at your own pace.