The Museu Histórico Nacional was created in 1922 and takes visitors through nicely curated history of Brazilian culture from prehistoric times through the colonization to the monarchy and the beginning of the Republic. The building itself was once used by the colonizers as a prison for unruly slaves and later as an arsenal and headquarters. The vast collection of over 287,000 items commemorates the ties between Portugal and Brazil and even includes a full-sized model of a colonial pharmacy. The museum is curated in Portuguese and English.