Fodor's Expert Review Museu do Seringal Vila Paraiso

Originally constructed as part of a film set, this rubber museum is in a 19th-century mansion on the banks of the Rio Negro, a 25-minute boat trip from Ponta Negra. Here, visitors can witness the extraction of latex from the rubber trees that surround the house, as well as learn about what life was like for the rubber gatherers. Elaborate European antiques and a grand piano allude to the owners' wealth. To visit the museum, head to the Marina do David in Ponta Negra and give the name of museum to the boatmen (round-trip approximately R$15), or have a tour operator in town take you there.