The Museum of Image and Sound, designed by American architecture studio Diller Scofidio + Renfro, is finally nearing completion in Rio de Janeiro after more than a decade of delays. The museum is scheduled for a “soft opening” in early 2026, with recent photographs highlighting its striking multi-level structure and dramatic ramps.

This new home for the Museu da Imagem e do Som do Rio de Janeiro, located in Copacabana, has been in the works since 2010, led by Diller Scofidio & Renfro.

According to local news outlet G1, city officials have announced that the museum will hold a “soft opening” in early 2026, with its grand opening planned for later that year.

By the fall of 2025, most of the building’s structural work had been completed. Following the anticipated finish of the building in early 2026, work will shift to the interior exhibitions. The Roberto Marinho Foundation, a non-profit institution, will be responsible for overseeing the internal fit-out.

The museum’s design was first unveiled in 2009, with an initial completion date set for 2014. However, construction experienced setbacks almost immediately, beginning when water was discovered on the first two floors. The project then faced a lengthy pause between 2016 and 2021.

Funding for the museum comes from both public and private sources, but in recent years, the city government has taken a leading role in its management. According to G1, delays have stemmed from design and construction changes, financial shortages, and Brazil’s 2016 fiscal crisis.

Diller Scofidio + Renfro originally envisioned the building as a “vertical” interpretation of Copacabana’s iconic sidewalks, which border the nearby beach in a wave-like pattern of black and white.

This distinctive motif influenced the building’s design, particularly the rear facade, which features a pattern of grey and white tiles.

On the back of the museum, angled grey and white tiles will form a portrait of Carmen Miranda, the celebrated Brazilian singer and actress who gained fame in the 1940s for her samba performances and elaborate fruit-laden headdresses, both in Brazil and internationally.

The new museum will replace the existing Museum of Image and Sound currently located in Lapa. Once open, it will house an extensive audiovisual archive, with a focus on Brazilian culture and local artists.

Other recent developments in Brazil include a future-focused exhibition at the Museum of the Future, and Kéré Architecture’s newly revealed project adjacent to the Rio Carnival parade grounds.

Photography by Ellen Eberhardt

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