Explore Taubaté through a range of cultural themes: audiovisual memory, natural history, Italian immigration and religious sites. If you are looking for accommodation in Taubaté, these interests can provide a starting point for planning your trip. The attractions have different focuses: one museum is dedicated to recordings and exhibition themes, another to the development of life on Earth; there is also a museum about the history of Italian immigration and a section of the Rota da Luz pilgrimage route.
Museums: Audiovisual Memory and Natural History
The Museu da Imagem e do Som de Taubaté (MISTAU) houses recordings from photography, radio, cinema and music. Its permanent exhibition is divided into themed rooms devoted to audiovisual memory. These include the Sala do Cinema Amácio Mazzaropi. The museum’s mission includes collecting, preserving, researching and sharing an iconographic, audio and audiovisual archive relevant to Taubaté and the region. The collection and exhibition give visitors a clear focus on media and memory.
The Museu de História Natural de Taubaté Doutor Herculano Alvarenga offers a different perspective. Through a chronological exhibition of birds, mammals, reptiles and fossils, visitors can trace the development of life on Earth. A notable exhibit is the nearly complete fossil of the giant carnivorous bird Paraphysornis brasiliensis, also known as Fisó. It was found in the region. While MISTAU places audiovisual collections at the center, the natural history museum takes visitors through a timeline of life forms and fossils.
Italian Immigration History in Quiririm
The Museu da Imigração Italiana José Indiani is located in the Quiririm district of Taubaté. Quiririm is among the first places of Italian immigration in Brazil. The museum thus complements the themes of media and natural history with a locally rooted perspective on Italian immigration. When choosing between museums, visitors can follow their different interests: audiovisual heritage, the history of the Earth or immigration history each offer a distinct focus.
Sanctuary and Pilgrimage Route
The Santuário de Santa Teresinha is located in central Taubaté and is the first sanctuary in the world built in honor of Saint Thérèse. The church of Saint Pierre de Lisieux served as inspiration for its design. The sanctuary offers a connection to religious architectural history. The Rota da Luz is a separate attraction: one section of the pilgrimage route to the Santuário Nacional de Nossa Senhora Aparecida passes through Taubaté. These two themes offer different perspectives on religious tradition—a specific sanctuary building and part of a pilgrimage route whose destination is Aparecida. Since route conditions may change, it is advisable to check the route before your trip.
Plan Your Visits
Another place to visit is the Modelando Tradições cultural center. Since August 2025, it has welcomed visitors, schools, groups, researchers and institutions by prior appointment. Check the appointment requirements before arriving if you would like to include the cultural center in your plans. This is particularly important because a visit should not be assumed to be possible without prior arrangements.
When choosing accommodation, it may help to first decide on the focus of your stay: would you like to explore collections on media or natural history, is Italian immigration your main interest, or are you interested in the pilgrimage tradition? Also take into account the appointment arranged at the cultural center and the conditions of the Rota da Luz if you plan to walk a section of it. This will help you choose a hotel in Taubaté based on the visits you actually plan to make.
Discover more destinations: Fernandópolis, Bebedouro, Presidente Epitácio, Talhado, Caraguatatuba, Batatais, Jaboticabal, Guararema.
For the broader travel overview: São Paulo.
