Located in the tranquil setting of Brumadinho in Brazil, Inhotim is not just one of the largest Latin American open-air museums but an otherworldly fusion of art, nature and architecture. Inhotim’s expansive grounds and its location between the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes provide a rare opportunity to present large-scale artworks that wouldn’t fit in traditional museum spaces. The museum houses 24 galleries, 18 of which are permanent, each dedicated to individual artists and six temporary spaces that feature group or monographic exhibitions as well as commissioned pieces. Over 500 works by 56 artists from 18 countries are on display in these permanent galleries.

Founded in 2006 by Brazilian mining magnate Bernardo Paz, Inhotim brings together two passions: a love for contemporary art and the natural beauty of the state of Minas Gerais. It is hard to believe that this massive public institution and haven for art lovers, nature enthusiasts and travellers seeking a transformative experience was once Paz’s private land and collection. What makes this collection of Brazilian and global art so special is the way this art is displayed in expansive outdoor settings, creating a dialogue between human creativity and the natural world. Among the esteemed artists exhibited at Inhotim are Chris Burden, Olafur Eliasson, Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, Giuseppe Penone, Yayoi Kusama, Doris Salcedo and Tunga, to name a few.

Walking through Inhotim, visitors are invited to journey through the grounds as they  encounter large outdoor artworks set amidst lush landscapes, themed botanical gardens and a teaching nursery that provides environmental education facilities.  Visitors may find themselves immersed in the sensory overload of Hélio Oiticica's Galeria Cosmococa, where they are encouraged to lie in hammocks and listen to music while surrounded by psychedelic projections, or explore Doug Aitken's profoundly meditative Sonic Pavilion (2009) perched on a serene hill. The glass-walled cylinder pavilion appears minimalistic, yet evinces a highly complex and poetic concept, as beneath it a 200-metre-deep borehole holds sensitive microphones that capture and amplify the Earth's internal sounds—faint shifts, rumbles and the deep groaning of geological time. Initially subtle, the sounds filling the space create an immersive auditory experience that dissolves the boundaries between nature and perception, creating an altered state of awareness.

There are not only pavilions built by architects that host artworks but also permanent commissioned site-specific sculptures scattered around the vast park, such as Chris Burden's freestanding installation Beam Drop Inhotim (2008). The striking large-scale sculpture consists of 71 steel beams standing 45 metres high positioned over a concrete pit, allowing gravity to dictate the final positions of the beams and forming a chaotic yet harmonious forest of rusted steel. The work's power lies in its visual impact and its dramatic process of creation, reflecting Burden's fascination with the relationships among control, chaos and structure. Beam Drop is a testament to industrial forces and raw physicality, deeply embedding itself into Inhotim's landscape. One of the highlights of Inhotim is Galeria Psicoativa, showcasing a comprehensive presentation of works by Brazilian interdisciplinary artist Tunga (Antônio José de Barros Carvalho e Mello Mourão). The works, consisting of various materials such as copper wires, hair, leather, crystals and glass, aim to respond to ideas around transgressing borders not only in their scope of artistic expression but also in relation to other human practices, from science and alchemy to ancestral rites, especially of those of the Indigenous people in Brazil. Blending abstraction and figuration, these tactile installations offer an immersive sensory experience within the gallery's expansive glass space.

Inaugurated in 2008 and designed by architect Rodrigo Cerviño Lopez (Tacoa Arquitetos), the impressive gallery housing Adriana Varejão's works conceals its contents from the outside. Known as the "blind building", this large concrete structure is suspended over a reflecting pool, which in turn reflects and amplifies the surrounding landscape. The design of the gallery was inspired by the previous structure at the site—a former farm maintenance warehouse, as after its removal, the resulting cut in the elevated terrain became the foundation for constructing the new gallery. It is fascinating to see familiar works such as Lygia Pape's Ttéia 1 C (2002), the result of the experiences initiated by the artist back in 1977 around spider webs in nature, shown at the Venice Biennale in 2009. Another familiar work made distinct at Inhotim is Yayoi Kusama's Narcissus Garden Inhotim (1966/2009), gathering 750 stainless steel spheres on a reflecting pool in the patio of the Centro de Educação e Cultura Burle Marx, a building designed by Arquitetos Associados. The artist describes the work as a "kinetic carpet", as the wind moves the spheres, forming various arrangements among the aquatic plants. This work is a reimagined version of the sculpture first shown at the 33rd Venice Biennale in 1966.

The botanical gardens surrounding the museum, which house over 5,000 species of plants, are presented consciously, as towering palm trees, vibrant tropical flowers and rare endangered species actively shape how one experiences each piece of art. Inhotim is, in this sense, a study in contrasts: art that is bold and innovative meets serene and timeless nature.

What makes Inhotim even more remarkable is its commitment to environmental sustainability with labelled plants scattered around to provide information and resting seats made out of tree trunks. Considering the institution’s connection to nature however, it is noteworthy and perhaps raises scepticism, that the main sponsor of the museum is Shell - a global group of energy and petrochemical companies with its logos printed on all exhibition texts and signage.

More than just an art museum, Inhotim is also a research hub for conservation and biodiversity. Extensive gardens and green spaces are part of a broader ecological mission to preserve native species and promote environmental education. This ethos of sustainability permeates the entire site, from the materials used in its construction to its operations, underscoring the delicate balance between human culture and the natural world that the museum represents. The experience that lingers on and stays longer after the visit is almost too good to be true and makes one think about the financial and ecological consequences of building such a museum in Brazil in the context of the country’s socio-economic position. The large inland state of Minas Gerais, with Brumadinho as one of its municipalities, is acclaimed for colonial-era towns dating to the country’s 18th century gold rush with mining still taking place alongside its famous coffee production. The region has the largest GDP among Brazilian states yet there is a visible gap in the local standard of living in the state, as the living wage is 2,621 Brazilian reais (around 540 USD) a month.

In a world where we long for nature and constructive cultural narratives in unique settings, Inhotim encourages guests to step outside their comfort zone and explore both the external environment and their internal landscape.