The Museu Câmara Cascudo is named for Luís da Câmara Cascudo, Rio Grande do Norte's most celebrated intellectual — a prolific folklorist, historian, and ethnographer who spent most of his life in Natal. The museum covers the natural history, archaeology, and popular culture of the northeastern Brazil, with collections that reflect Câmara Cascudo's lifelong obsession with understanding the people and landscapes of the region.
The exhibits include prehistoric fossils from the interior, indigenous artefacts, and material culture of the sertão. It is not a flashy museum, but it rewards time spent. The building is a pleasant example of early-20th-century civic architecture. The museum sits in the Petrópolis neighborhood, convenient if you are also visiting the old city center.