The headquarters of the Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo is located in the southeastern corner of the park.

Originally created in 1798 as a botanical garden, the garden was transformed into a public park only in 1938, initially only serving as a big pasture for cattle and cows.

During a big part of the 20th century, Jardim da Luz passed through a period of severe degradation, serving as a zone of prostitution and drug trafficking.

The state government has since revitalized the central region of the city through a series of reforms, including installation of sculptures in the park, a remodel of the Pinacoteca do Estado, and increased police supervision of the area.

This article related to a protected area in Brazil is a stub.