The Museu Mariano Procópio occupies a neo-Gothic villa set in a large park on the northern edge of the city centre. The collection covers regional art, natural history, and the history of Minas Gerais, with particular strength in 19th-century Brazilian painting and artefacts from the imperial period. The grounds themselves — a garden of old trees, lakes, and pathways — are reason enough to come.
The park surrounding the museum, the Parque Halfeld's more distinguished cousin, is one of the finest green spaces in the region. Peacocks roam freely, there's a small zoo, and on weekends families spread out on the lawns beneath the old trees. Entry to the park is free; the museum building charges a small admission fee.