Rio de Janeiro to host 2026 Cultural Heritage Week

The Rio de Janeiro City Hall, through the Instituto Rio Patrimônio da Humanidade (IRPH) and in partnership with the Companhia Carioca de Parcerias e Investimentos (CCPAR), will host the 2026 Cultural Heritage Week from August 17 to 19.

The free event will bring together urbanists, historians, and public managers to discuss memory preservation and urban requalification. The opening session on August 17 will commemorate 40 years of Rio's cultural heritage and feature a lecture by architect Washington Fajardo on urban center requalification. The first day also includes the opening of the “Olhos de Ver 2026” exhibition focusing on Rio's stained glass.

Scheduled activities include panels on conservation studies, archaeology, and contemporary heritage challenges such as gamification. The event concludes on August 19 with guided technical tours through historical axes, including the Cultural Corridor, Modernism (featuring Palácio Capanema and MAM), and Art Déco areas.