Rio de Janeiro, cultural consumption experiences in the new port area: the Museum of Tomorrow, Rio Art Museum and the National Museum of Fine Arts

Abstract Rio de Janeiro represents one of the largest creative economy centers in Brazil and underwent urban renewal in preparation for hosting global events. This research aims to investigate cultural consumption patterns and the symbolic importance of the dockland regeneration project as well as its impact on city branding. The first round of data collection was conducted in 2016, the year of the Rio Olympic Games, and the second in 2018, in two new cultural facilities – the Museum of Tomorrow and Rio Art Museum, and an old institution – the National Museum of Fine Arts. The results indicate that the new museums represent a cultural consumption alternative, aligned with the city branding project; however, the old institution seems excluded. The contribution of this paper is to provide insights for museum managers and public authorities regarding issues related to the potential of cultural consumption for the development and branding of a city.