São Carlos offers a wide range of starting points for a cultural and scientific stay: a collection of calculating machines, science exhibits and a museum dedicated to the region’s history.
Calculating Machines and Science in the City Center
The collection at the Museu de Computação Odelar Leite Linhares includes calculating machines made by Olivetti, Facit, Monroe, Original-Odhner and Brunsviga. This selection gives the visit a clear focus on the history of computer technology. The museum is located at the Instituto de Ciências Matemáticas e de Computação – ICMC – of USP, at Avenida Trabalhador São-Carlense, No. 400, in central São Carlos.
Visiting hours are Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 19:00 and Saturday from 08:00 to 12:00. Individual and group visits can be arranged through the website. If you plan to visit, confirm the visiting arrangements in advance.
The Espaço Interativo de Ciências offers a different perspective on the natural sciences. It is housed in a historic building in the city center and has themed indoor spaces as well as an outdoor medicinal plant garden. If you want to include the indoor spaces in your plans, check the visiting arrangements before you travel.
Details of the CDCC building also give the site a distinctive character: a compass rose is set into a floor mosaic at the entrance. Its cardinal directions are arranged in a flower shape, with one direction marked at the end of each petal. Around the building are also casts of mammal and bird footprints, made from impressions collected in the surrounding area. They are intended to help visitors develop their sense of shape.
The “Memórias do CDCC” exhibition consists of four printed canvas panels. It tells the story of the science center’s creation in São Carlos and the achievements of its staff and contributors. Alongside individual scientific topics, it also focuses on the institution’s history and the work involved in its development.
Regional History in the Former Railway Station
The Museu de São Carlos is located at Praça Antonio Prado, s/n, in the city center. It is housed in the city’s former railway station, a historic building dating from 1884. The museum preserves and promotes the history and culture of the region. It welcomes local residents, tourists, and school and university students interested in this history every day. Check the current visiting arrangements before your visit.
Destinations in the Municipality and Surrounding Area
Those wishing to explore the municipality can find a different historical and religious perspective in the rural Bairro Babilônia. The first chapel dedicated to Nossa Senhora Aparecida da Babilônia was built there in 1870. The Santuário Nossa Senhora Aparecida da Babilônia welcomes pilgrimages and processions throughout the year. The main festival in honor of the patron saint’s devotees takes place on August 15; the annual program may vary.
The Parque Ecológico “Dr. Antônio Teixeira Vianna” is also in the municipality, at Estrada Municipal Guilherme Scatena, km 2. A municipal report dated August 7, 2026, lists more than 300 animals from over 100 South American fauna species there. An announcement dated October 17, 2023, reported three chairs for accessible tours. If this equipment is important for your plans, confirm its current availability before you travel.
The Caminho da Fé also extends beyond São Carlos: the 44 km section between São Carlos and Descalvado has two support points. These include Bairro da Babilônia, with a church and support from a local resident, and SPA Água Santa, which may be able to offer pilgrims overnight accommodation if needed. Check the route conditions and the availability of support services before setting out.
When looking for a hotel in São Carlos, it helps to decide which visits you plan to make first and check the relevant addresses and visiting arrangements. This makes it easier to determine whether your stay will focus mainly on the museums in the city center or also include destinations in the municipality and the regional pilgrimage route.
Discover more travel destinations: Santa Bárbara D'oeste, Areias, Sumaré, Barra do Rio Abaixo, Itapetininga, Pau-D'alho, Barrinha, Ubatuba
For the overview of the wider region: São Paulo.
