Cláudio Santoro National Theater

Brasília, Brazil

Open to visitors

The interior is normally open, possibly ticketed.

Strollie cannot guarantee access — always check before you travel.

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Designed by Oscar Niemeyer and completed in 1966, the Cláudio Santoro National Theater stands in Brasília as a striking example of modern architecture and Niemeyer's largest arts building in the capital. Its distinctive form—a truncated pyramid—houses three performance venues of varying sizes: the 60-seat Alberto Nepomuceno, the 407-seat Martins Pena, and the 1,407-seat Villa-Lobos theater, alongside a public exhibition gallery. Construction began in 1960 and the building underwent major renovations from 1976 to 1981 and again from 2014 to 2024. Recognized as a heritage asset by IPHAN, the theater remains operated by the Secretary of Culture of the Federal District.