Museu de Biologia Professor Mello Leitão Espírito Santo

In the pretty mountain town of Santa Teresa, 82km northwest of Vitória, this museum celebrates the work of local ecologist Augusto Ruschi (1915–86), who conducted pioneering studies on the region’s remarkable variety of hummingbirds and orchids and was a strong early proponent of environmental protection in Brazil. The verdant grounds are a peaceful oasis, and offer a chance to observe many local plant and hummingbird species.