MuseuNacional

Thousands of artifacts from pre-Columbian era Amerindian civilizations. The sarcophagus in which the Egyptian priestess Sha-Amun-em-su, who lived 750 years before Christ, was laid to rest. Fossils of dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals. Unique recordings of ancestral chants and indigenous languages that no longer exist. Insect collections that were a reference point worldwide. Field diaries documenting countless anthropological research projects. All of this, and much more, disappeared under the flames that engulfed a large part of the Museu Nacional, Brazil's oldest scientific institution, on the night of September 2, 2018.

Image description: This is a nighttime photograph of a fire in a monumental building. On the left side, we see a tree and part of the museum's façade, lit by interior lights. In the center, the fire has grown large, with intense flames and dense smoke. On the right, a monument with a prominent figure is visible. In front, people are scattered about, watching the scene. The sky is dark, contrasting with the brightness of the fire.

The interior of the invaluable historic building, which had been home to the Portuguese royal family in the 19th century, and where Brazil's declaration of Independence was signed in 1822, was reduced to ruins after six hours of fire. The direct scientific and cultural damage of the tragedy will only be able to be measured in years, perhaps decades. But the volume of knowledge that will no longer be produced, due to the losses in the collection and in research, will never be able to be quantified.

Image description: The image is a photograph of a monument located in front of a palace. On the left side, there is a staircase with a yellow balustrade and red vases at the ends. On the right, there is a large statue on a square base, with the inscription "PIL" on the front. In the background stands the palace, with a classical facade and many windows. The sky is blue with some white clouds. There are green trees around the monument and the palace. On the ground, there is a paved area with yellow markings.

Located in the Quinta da Boa Vista, in the Zona Norte of Rio, the Museu Nacional had for years been suffering from a lack of funds that would guarantee the security of the items under its protection. Despite being one of the largest natural history museums in the world, holding a collection of about 20 million items, linked to countless fields of knowledge, its budget had been shrinking every year. The building, which had just turned two centuries old when devastated by the fire, was not only home to museum activities, but also an important research hub, with graduate programs and some of the most important Brazilian studies in areas such as paleontology and anthropology.

Image description: This is a photograph of a nighttime demonstration in front of an illuminated classical building. In the lower part of the image, we see a crowd of people gathered, some sitting on the railings and others standing. On the right, a woman holds a sign with text in Portuguese. The building in the background has neoclassical architecture, with columns and a balustrade. On the left, there are colorful flags hanging.

These research projects and courses did not come to an end with the fire, as the team of professionals and students linked to the Museum continue their pursuit of preserving the knowledge and history that political negligence tried to burn down. Even so, the burning of the Museu Nacional represents a catastrophe not only for Brazil, but for the entire history of Humanity.

In July 2025, after seven years of restoration, the Museu Nacional reopened its doors for a temporary exhibition and a visit still limited to just a few areas of the building. Cariocas and tourists embraced the museum, and the 12,000 tickets for its reopening sold out in less than 48 hours. Full operation is expected to be restored by 2029.

Image description: This is an aerial photograph of a park with a historic palace at its center. On the left side, there are green areas with sparse trees and a few people walking. In the center, the palace has a red roof and beige walls. On the right, the park continues with more vegetation. In the background, there are modern buildings and a bridge over the sea. The city in the background is lit by the sun, with a blue sky and a few clouds.