One of the main tourist and cultural attractions in São Paulo (SP), the Football Museum has reopened to the public with a grand tribute to Edson Arantes do Nascimento’s 80th birthday. “Pelé 80 – the King of Football” is an exhibition that tells a bit 
of the former athlete’s history, his life, his achievements, and his journey as one of Brazil’s icons. The exhibition, which adopts all biosafety protocols, will run until April 2021. It is curated by set designer Gringo Cardia and is funded through the Cultural Incentive Law from the Special Secretariat of Culture. See more information HERE.
The exhibition about King Pelé, according to the Football Museum, aims to show this legend to generations who did not see him play and to transpose the image of the King to a universal and contemporary visuality. Right at the entrance of the museum, a huge sculpture of Pelé in the style of a mini-star invites the public for selfies and photos before moving on to the film session created by Gringo Cardia specifically for the exhibition.
The entire trajectory of Pelé is told through the assembly and animation of 444 historical images, covering from the early years of the former player in Três Corações, in the interior of Minas Gerais, to the achievement of worldwide fame in the 1958 World Cup; the 18 years defending Santos Football Club; the definitive consecration in the 1970 World Cup; and the last game for the Cosmos of New York.
The Football Museum is located in an area of 6,900 m² opposite the stands of the Pacaembu Stadium, was inaugurated on September 29, 2008, and is one of the most visited in the country. The space is fully accessible to people with disabilities and foreigners, offering various resources, both for physical accessibility (escalators, elevators, tactile flooring, wheelchairs) and communication accessibility (audioguides in English, Spanish, and for the blind, tactile models, sensory materials, etc.).
Due to the pandemic, the Football Museum is operating on reduced hours, from Thursday to Sunday, from 1 PM to 7 PM. Tickets will be sold exclusively online and with scheduled times to avoid queues. Additionally, the venue is implementing measures to limit the public: only 10 visitors are allowed every 25 minutes; mandatory mask-wearing for individuals aged 3 and older; social distancing; availability of hand sanitizer for visitors at various points in the exhibition; suspension of services such as cloakrooms and the loan of wheelchairs and baby strollers.
Those who want to learn more about Pelé’s life and enjoy the beauty of the Baixada Santista can find unique tourist spots in Santos (SP), such as the Pelé Museum, which can be accessed by the Tourist Tram. The museum has a special program in honor of the former player’s 80th birthday, featuring an exhibition of works by various artists depicting Pelé in the form of art.
For visiting and touring the Pelé Museum, wearing masks is mandatory, and the local administration measures the temperature of visitors, which is reduced to 40%, provides 70% hand sanitizer, and guides the minimum distance between people. The Pelé Museum operates from Thursday to Sunday, from 10 AM to 
4 PM (ticket sales close at 3 PM), and the tram operates from Thursday to Sunday, from 12 PM to 4 PM (departures every full hour).
Its collection consists of about 2,500 pieces, from which those that are part of each exhibition are selected, telling the story and achievements of the athlete and the man. Interactive Space – Interactive techniques will make visitors to the Pelé Museum feel part of the spectacle!
Source: Ministry of Tourism