Tour Rio de Janeiro’s cultural archives on Google Arts & Culture

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The General Archive of Rio de Janeiro City put together a digital collection showcasing the city's captivating evolution from the past to the present.

Eduardo Paes

Mayor of Rio de Janeiro

A black and white image of Rio de Janeiro with text over it saying Rio de Janeiro City of Culture

Rio de Janeiro, a city brimming with cultural treasures, is opening its historical archives to the world. For generations, the General Archive of Rio de Janeiro City has preserved the city's history. Now, in partnership with Google Arts & Culture, the Archive is bringing Rio's past and present to life online, making some of the rarely-seen collections available to the public.

At the heart of this initiative lies the digitization and preservation of the Paschoal Nardone collection, which comprises 124 films (over 2,000 meters of film!) showcasing Rio's transformation between the 1920s and 1940s. But there are other fascinating stories to explore, too. Here are five highlights from the collection.

The Paschoal Nardone Collection

The General Archive of Rio de Janeiro City and University Audiovisual Preservation Laboratory of UFF have digitized 124 rare film reels from the 1920s to the 1940s, revealing everyday life and historical events in Rio. These films, which were shot with a commercial camera in Brazil, are currently threatened by "vinegar syndrome," a chemical reaction that can damage film. In this story, you can watch the films as well as learn more about how these works were digitized in just weeks, and what stories and images they revealed, preserving this visual record of a city's growth.

Film reel from the Paschoal Nardone Collection, from the collection of General Archive of Rio de Janeiro City

Rio landmarks before and after

Witness the changing landscape of Rio de Janeiro through this collection that shows the evolution of its iconic landmarks, including the construction of Christ the Redeemer, the iconic symbol of Rio, as it rose above the city. From the shores of Copacabana to the bustling heart of the city at Largo da Carioca, see how these places transformed in the mid-1920s, laying the foundation for the city we know today.

Photo 1: Historical black and white photograph of the Cristo Redentor statue surrounded by scaffoldings Photo 2: Aerial photograph of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, showing the surrounding landscape.

On the left: Construction of Christ the Redeemer, from the collection of General Archive of Rio de Janeiro City. On the right: Aerial photo of Christ the Redeemer, from the collection of Sanctuary of Christ the Redeemer

A pioneering domestic film camera in Brazil

The collection features films that capture both intimate moments and iconic cityscapes shot with the Pathé-Baby. This pioneering camera, developed by the French company Pathé-Frères, offered a unique glimpse into everyday life.

Still from one of the films in the Paschoal Nardone Collection, from the collection of General Archive of Rio de Janeiro City

Carnival celebrations

There's nothing like Rio during Carnival. Every year celebrations of this special holiday flood the city with color and vibrancy. And now you can see what Carnival was like in Rio nearly 100 years ago. Explore the diversity of costumes people were wearing and experience the Carnival Corso, a traditional celebration where people took over the streets in their cars.

A black-and-white photograph of a group of people sitting on a 1920s style vehicle with party streamers draped across them and the car.

Crowds in a car at a carnival procession in 1929, from the collection of General Archive of Rio de Janeiro City

Rio welcoming the world

Rio de Janeiro has a long history of hosting major international events, including the 1950 World Cup, the ECO-92 Earth Summit in 1992 and the 2016 Olympic Games. This November, it will welcome the G20 Summit as well.