Rio de Janeiro - Botanic Garden / Museum

On the west side of the lagoon, near the Flamengo Sailing Club and the Jockey Club (Jóquei Clube), is the Brigadeiro Faria Lima Park (reached from Avenida Borges de Medeiros), with an amusement park. To the left of the Jockey Club is the Botanic Garden (Jardim Botânico; area 1.37sq.km/.5sq.mi), with 5000 species of plants from all over the world. In the gardens are ponds with rare species of fish and Victoria amazonica water-lilies and other plants from the Amazon region. In half of the park's area the original vegetation has been preserved. The Botanic Garden was founded by Dom João VI for the acclimatization of tropical plants (e.g. the avocado tree, the clove bush, the royal palm and other exotic plants) from the Portuguese Empire. There are also a specialist library and two museums, the Botanical Museum and the Museu de Plantas Secas (Herbarium), which is used for research purposes. The entrance to the gardens is in Rua Jardim Botánico.