The building of Pinacoteca do Estado (State Art Gallery) was designed by Ramos de Azevedo in 1897 to be home to Liceu de Artes e Ofícios (School of Arts and Crafts), an institution for the graduation of the technicians and craftsmen who built 'the cities of the coffee crops'. With uncovered brick walls and wide windows, Pinacoteca was entirely renovated during Mario Covas Government, and, today, its new rooms and indoor patios, all of them with modern lightning systems, are home to important exhibitions, such as Rodin and Miró ones. The museum is a portrait of the Brazilian art from the 19th century to the contemporary age.

With its collection of approximately 4,000 pieces, the museum is very important, specially for São Paulo, since it gathers works of art by artists born in the city, such as Almeida Júnior, Pedro Alexandrino and Oscar Pereira da Silva, aside from representative works of art by Cândido Portinari, Anita Mafaldi, Victor Brecheret, Tarsila do Amaral and Di Cavalcanti. In Pavilhão das Artes (Pavilion of Arts), in Parque do Ibirapuera (Ibirapuera Park), which is also part of Pinacoteca, there are also exhibitions of outstanding artists.