Provincial Palace

In March this year (2009), the renovations done on the Provincial Palace were finished and the museum was open. The building was originally constructed in the 19th century but had become completely dilapidated over the years. So it was amazing to see all the work they did on the structure, not to mention the exhibits inside.
There are five primary exhibits in this free museum: an art gallery, a museum of image and sound where you can borrow and view Brazilian film, an archeological exhibit, a numismatic (i.e. coins) museum and an exhibit on the history of the Amazonian military police.
The reason for the latter, the military police exhibit, is because the building was used by the M.P. and contains prison cells in the basement.
I didn't know about this place, but had just been wandering around town when I stumbled upon it. I went inside and was offered a free tour in English by a young Brazilian. After he told me about the renovations, he took me to the art gallery where another Brazilian explained the works of art to me.
She told me a number of amazing stories, elucidating the meaning behind some of the art. One was a sculpture that appeared as one body with three heads. This was a story of an obese Brazilian artist who went through three stages in life: one where he felt silenced by his obesity, one where he underwent surgery for weight loss, and the third when he had experienced heart failure. Another story was that from a painting showing a girl being eaten by a crocodile. The reason for this was told in a tale of two sisters. They were twins, as a matter of fact, but one of them was strong and dominant while the other was weak and sickly. When the weaker one was misled by her sister into dangerous Amazonian waters and killed, the lies the sister told to cover up her role in the death eventually led to justice: she was eaten by a crocodile herself.
After the art gallery, I went through the archeological exhibit and then, with a guide named Eduardo, the military police exhibit. Eduardo--who by far had the best English of anyone I'd met that day, although it sounded like he picked it up either directly from a fast-talking New Yorker or watching a lot of television--seemed to have a complete routine put together for the tours. He told lots of jokes, such as how the uniform from the '60s, which looked like it was covered in Good&Plenty, was judged too "fruity" for the military police and changed. However, that uniform was made with thick, brown fabric, to which Eduardo said, "What were they thinking? This is the Amazon! So now they changed it to what that guy over there is wearing," at which point he waved and gave a thumbs up to an actual military officer patrolling the exhibit.
The final exhibit on coins--some ranging back hundreds of years--was interesting from a historical point of view, and the guide told me how she had given a tour to a US Senator who had come a few weeks ago, although she couldn't remember the woman's name.
After that tour, I called it a day. The impromptu tour had taken about two hours, but I found myself feeling energized from friendliness I was shown by my guides, and the exhibits were truly interesting. I thanked all of them on my way out, and then headed through the park outside on my way back to the main road to catch my taxi. In the park, there were plenty of couples and families, many of them gathered around a gazebo where a small band was playing music.
It turned out to be a great day; maybe one of the best I spent in Manaus, so I went back the following weekend to pick up a pamphlet and have a coffee at the Palace coffee shop, Cafe do Pina.
I ordered an ice coffee, or at least tried to (instead, I received a cup of coffee and a glass of ice). As I headed back toward the exit. I ran into the first guide who told me all about the renovation during my first visit. He said he was glad to see me again, but he was disappointed that I wasn't out exploring more of Manaus. I told him the museum was great, I had been in the area and I wanted a pamphlet, which he went and got and gave to me, but again with encouragement to go into the rainforest and explore more. He said this with real concern and also with a smile, so I thanked him and told him I would certainly do my best.