The LNLS (Laborato´rio Nacional de Luz Si´ncrotron) is a national laboratory in Brazil that operates a 1.37 GeV storage ring for synchrotron light users since July 1997. Eleven bending magnet beamlines are open to a wide range of possibilities for research in ultra‐violet and X‐ray spectroscopy, single crystal and powder diffraction, magnetic and anomalous scattering, protein crystallography, X‐ray fluorescence, X‐ray lithography and small angle X‐ray scattering. The recent conclusion of the booster injector opened the way for insertion devices to be accommodated in the four straight sections available. A multipolar wiggler, for protein crystallography using the MAD technique, is the first planned to be installed during 2003. The construction of the first LNLS undulator, for the vaccum ultra‐violet and soft X‐ray domain, has already started and will expand the possibilities in atomic, molecular and surface physics, as well as in catalysis and magnetism. LNLS has expanded its infra‐structure as an open multidisciplinary research laboratory into complementary areas, such as electron and scanning probe microscopy, nanostructure synthesis and molecular biology. Many technological and scientific achievements have been attained in these last five years. Some of them will be highlighted here, with emphasis in the area of nanostructured and magnetic materials. © 2003 American Institute of Physics