The Butantan Science Park is a cultural center inserted in an extensive green area of approximately 725 thousand square meters. It aims to spark the interest and curiosity of various audiences for research and science through educational, environmental and leisure activities.
The park is composed of places for events and exhibitions, the Center for Scientific Dissemination and the Memory Center, which houses a large collection of books, documents and photos related to the history of public health in Brazil. The Boulevard, a wide lane surrounded by trees, connects the attractions of the Science Park.
The complex is made up of 22 attractions, for all ages, with a focus on scientific dissemination and on the contributions of Instituto Butantan to public health. Among them are:
Museums: the Biological Museum, Microbiology Museum, Terra Firme Exhibition Space, Emílio Ribas Public Health Museum, the upcoming Vaccine Museum and the History Museum, which is now being reformulated.
Vivaria: three spaces that shelter animals such as snakes, monkeys and reptiles.
Serpentarium: allows the observation of snakes from the Brazilian fauna in an environment similar to their natural habitat, including snakes used in the production of venom and non-venomous species.
Monkey Zoo: shelters a colony of Rhesus monkeys from India, the Macaca Mullata species, in an environment with vegetation, rocks and environmental enrichment that simulate their natural habitat. These monkeys arrived at Instituto Butantan in 1929 for research on the yellow fever vaccine.
Reptile House: listed by the Brazilian Council for the Defense of Historical, Archaeological, Artistic and Touristic Heritage (CONDEPHAAT), the Reptile House is open to public visitation to observe reptiles such as lizards and turtles. The space also allows for research on biodiversity, biology and conservation, as well as educational and cultural extension activities.
The Oswaldo Cruz Forest Garden: the space offers several educational activities and workshops, a bird observatory, two trails, the garden of the senses and also houses the titan anthurium, the largest flower in the world that can reach almost three meters in height.
Historic buildings: the Science Park has 12 listed historic buildings, with styles ranging from Art Deco to early 20th century English country houses.
The historic buildings are: the Vital Brazil Building, Afrânio do Amaral House, Biological Museum, Microbiology Museum, Emílio Ribas Public Health Museum, Terra Firme Exhibition Space, the “New Building”, Lemos Monteiro Pavilion, Pink House, Serpentarium, Center for Scientific Dissemination and Storeroom, and Administrative Center.