German physicist Albert Einstein (1879-1955), author of the General Theory of Relativity and other works that revolutionized the science of his time, was already an international celebrity when he came to South America in 1925. On his first stop in Rio de Janeiro, on March 21 of that year, he visited the Botanical Garden and was welcomed by the then director of the institution, Antônio Pacheco Leão. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of this historic visit, the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden invites the public to take a “journey through time” at the Pacheco Leão House. Admission is free!

From March 21 to 25, visitors will be able to listen to a narration of Einstein's visit to the Garden in the voice of Pacheco Leão reproduced by Artificial Intelligence. The account is taken from the interview the director gave to the newspaper A Noite a few days later and reveals Einstein's fascination with tropical nature and other curiosities. A facsimile of the newspaper will be on display at the Casa's reception desk, which reproduces Pacheco Leão's office at the time. In addition, visitors will have the opportunity to take photos with the life-size totem of the two scientists, a reproduction of the historic photograph taken 100 years ago. Reproductions of Einstein's notes on the Botanical Garden, recorded at the time of the visit and in his travel diary, will also be on display.

Casa Pacheco Leão is one of the most emblematic buildings in Rio de Janeiro's Botanical Garden, listed by the National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute (IPHAN). It was the home of doctor Antônio Pacheco Leão from 1915 to 1931, when he headed the institution. Located in the Cultural Corridor of the JBRJ, the House was reopened to the public in November 2024, after a restoration that included architectural adjustments to ensure physical accessibility, structural maintenance and the recovery of decorative elements, with funds from the Federal Law for Cultural Incentives (Rouanet Law), sponsored by State Grid Brazil Holding and Banco BOCOM BBM. The House is also currently home to the exhibition “Rota do Chá - Botânica, Cultura e Tradição” (Tea Route - Botany, Culture and Tradition), organized by Dellarte Soluções Culturais and curated by Alexandre Murucci.

100 years since Einstein's visit to the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden
From March 21 to 25, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Casa Pacheco Leão - access via Rua Jardim Botânico, 1008.
Free tickets at jbrj.eleventickets.com