PB · Brazil
Açude Velho, memory of cotton and art spaces in the Serra da Borborema.
In the photo: Açude Velho and the urban landscape of Campina Grande.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Get to know the place
Campina Grande grew as a commercial center of the inland Paraíba region and gained strength with the railway and cotton. Today it brings together universities, services and cultural facilities. The Açude Velho and the Museu de Arte Popular da Paraíba mark the urban landscape; the Estação Velha houses the Museu do Algodão. The city is also known for its June festivals, which are part of its cultural life. A walk through the center can combine economic history, the arts and the technologies of exhibition spaces.
This destination brings together 1 city: Campina Grande.
One destination, many paths
Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.
Mapa: @svg-maps/brazil, CC BY 4.0
The city has an airport and road connections via BR-230. From João Pessoa, the route continues inland. To get around between the museums, the Açude Velho and other neighborhoods, weigh walking versus urban transport according to the address of each visit.
The local experience
Reservoir linked to Campina Grande's history, with an urban route along its banks and the presence of the Museu de Arte Popular da Paraíba in the landscape.
Museum next to the Açude Velho dedicated to popular arts, known for the architecture of the Três Pandeiros.
Discover Museu de Arte Popular da Paraíba
Collection housed in the Estação Velha, connected to the railway memory and to the role of cotton in Campina Grande’s economic history.
Exhibition space that combines digital resources and cultural content in Campina Grande.
Before you go
A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.
From August to November it usually rains less in Campina Grande, which favors walking routes. From April to July rains tend to be more frequent. June brings the cultural program of the São João festivities and usually increases demand for accommodation.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Two days allow splitting the Açude Velho, the museums and the center. Add time if the trip includes cultural programming or excursions to the Cariri.
A base close to the center and the Açude Velho brings your stay nearer the urban tours. Other neighborhoods may better suit arrival by road or airport; compare the transfers to the museums you want to visit.
Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.
Get your questions answered
Açude Velho, Museu de Arte Popular da Paraíba, Museu do Algodão and SESI Museu Digital show different aspects of the city. Check each venue's program and visitor services.
Choose two or three venues according to your interests and their locations. Allow time for the collections, in addition to transfers and the walk around the Açude Velho.
A car is not indispensable for a selection in the center. Walking and urban transport help circulate between places, taking participants' needs into account.
The city has arrival connections and infrastructure to organize the trip inland. The cultural route then continues to the ten selected municipalities of the Cariri.
Brazilian routes
Between the Cariri mountain ranges and the towns of Ariano, Zé Marcolino and Zabé da Loca.
