In São Paulo, which has the highest concentration of Portuguese speakers in the world, you’ll find an interactive museum dedicated to the language. Since 2006, the Portuguese Language Museum has fascinated visitors with interactive displays that trace the language back through the centuries. At the time of its inauguration, the museum was the only educational facility in the world dedicated to a single language. Discover the influence Portuguese has had on other dialects, the way the language has changed and the cultural significance of Portuguese as seen in literature, poetry and theater.

Visit the museum with a native Portuguese speaker to get the most from the experience. While there are electronic translations and many displays in English and Spanish, some features are listed only in Portuguese. Locate an English-speaking staff member to help with any translations you can’t find.

Spend a few hours exploring the three halls of the museum. Pass through the temporary exhibition space on the first floor to see collections of work by Portuguese and Brazilian writers, poets and playwrights. The influence of the Portuguese language has traveled far because of its famous writers such as José Saramago, who won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1998.

Climb the stairs to reach the permanent collection that outlines the development and changes in the language. Discover which languages influenced Portuguese in Crosswords, an exhibit that shows the effects of African, South American and European languages on the language. The fascinating Map of the Speakers room shows the different variants of Portuguese spoken throughout Brazil.

The Portuguese Language Museum is located within Estação da Luz railroad station in the district of Luz. Reach the museum by metro or bus, since parking in the area is scarce. The museum is closed on Mondays, as well as on New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Carnival Tuesday, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. There is an admission fee.