History buffs will enjoy a visit to the Museu do Ipiranga (Parque da Independência, Ipiranga, tel. 11/6165-8000, www.mp.usp.br [1], 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Tues.–Sun., R$2), also known as the Museu Paulista. It occupies a grand, Renaissance-style palace built in 1890 to commemorate Brazilian independence (which took place in 1822; it took a few decades for the final project to be approved).
Museu do Ipiranga is chock-full of paintings, furnishings, household objects, and other artifacts that conjure up 19th- and early-20th-century Brazilian society. Fans of things royal can delight in the many knickknacks belonging to the Brazilian imperial family.
The surrounding Parque do Ipiranga is also called Parque da Independência because it was here that Dom Pedro I proclaimed Brazil [2]’s independence. In fact, the spot where he dramatically cried out: “Independence or Death!” is marked by a monument beneath which lies the tomb of Dom Pedro I and his wife, Empress Leopoldina.
Many buses pass by the park, departing from Praça da Sé (4113), Praça da República (4205, 4631), and Vila Mariana (4706) Metrô station.
Links:
[1] http://www.mp.usp.br
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/brazil/discover-brazil