State Coal Museum, Arroio dos Ratos

About this place

The State Coal Museum in the town of Arroio dos Ratos, west of Porto Alegre, is devoted to the history of coal mining in Rio Grande do Sul and is run by the state culture secretariat. It occupies a historic complex that, according to local sources, housed Brazil's first thermoelectric power station. Created in 1986, the museum struggled at first and soon closed; in 1994 the old power-station buildings were restored and adapted as a museum, and the grounds were landscaped. The collection includes mining tools and equipment, porcelain electrical fittings and refractory bricks brought from Europe, along with photographs, books and maps that record the history of the mines, and old mine galleries have been opened to visitors. The museum closed for a period of renovation and appears as open again in the state's 2026 schedules. Phone ahead to confirm hours before making the trip, which takes about an hour by car from Porto Alegre.