CCBB Rio named among world's most visited cultural institutions

Named in March by British magazine The Art Newspaper as one of the world's most visited cultural institutions, the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil do Rio de Janeiro (CCBB Rio) has just attained yet more international recognition. In a study conducted by Erasmus University Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, on the reputation of the most prestigious cultural institutions in ten countries, CCBB Rio ranked 18th on the ranking headed by the Louvre, in Paris, founded on 1793—the world's most famous museum.

Entitled Why People Love Art Museums – A Reputation Study About the 18 Most Famous Art Museums Among Visitors in 10 Countries, the report, published by Spanish newspaper El País, compares the answers of 12 thousand respondents in Europe, the Americas, and Asia—all of whom regular visitors at the institutions. The results are based on an international model that gauges the level of esteem, good feeling, trust, and admiration felt by consumers towards an organization.

On a global scale of up to 100 points, every museum or cultural center was given a score above 70 points, indicating that all of them are very positively regarded. The Louvre, the first on the list, was just ten points above the youngest institution on the list—CCBB, inaugurated in 1989, with 74.4.

“We welcome this achievement with a lot of enthusiasm. This is the fruit of a long-living and consistent position adopted by Banco do Brasil, which aims to promote Brazil's artistic production, facilitate the access to cultural activities, and provide visiting students with complementary knowledge,” CCBB Rio Manager Fábio Cunha.

“Also, we're really proud to contribute to the visibility of Brazil overseas as a cultural power, and to project the city of Rio de Janeiro onto the circuit of great international exhibits next to important cities like Paris, New York, London, and Berlin,” he remarked.

According to Cunha, CCBB's program, which is designed to be diversified and accessible, accounts for the success of CCBB, which, last year, received 2.2 million visitors. “This keeps the program comprehensive and makes it always possible for visitors to find one or more activities to enjoy, be it an exhibit, or in the form of music, theater, dance, film, or philosophy—not to mention the library and social areas, like the café, the bookstore, and the restaurant,” he said.

CCBB Rio will unveil an exhibit in October dedicated to Austrian artist Erwin Wurm. Approximately 40 works bringing everyday objects like cars, clothes, and food items to unexpected contexts, in a manner both funny and critical at once.

The highlight for November, in turn, is the Raymond Depardon exhibit and film show, which is to bring to the public works by the French filmmaker and photographer. “In January 2018, we launch the exhibit Ex Africa, with pieces by contemporary African artists,” Cunha said.

On the ranking released by The Art Newspaper, CCBB Rio took the 26th place among the world's 100 most visited institutions, but its Brasília and São Paulo counterparts were also featured—ranking 59th, with 1.1 million visitors; and 68th, with 965 thousand visitors, respectively.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira