Niesha Wilson

The National Museum of Brazil

The National Museum of Brazil, also known as Museu Nacional, situated in Rio de Janeiro, was an iconic institution that held the distinction of being the largest and oldest natural history museum in Latin America. Its history stretched back 200 years, and in 2018, it joyously celebrated its bicentennial milestone. However, tragedy struck on the evening of September 2nd when an electrical fire ignited on the ground floor of the museum. The blaze quickly escalated into a devastating inferno, leaving the historic building in ruins and nearly obliterating its invaluable collections. Within a mere 10 hours, an estimated 18 million precious objects and specimens succumbed to the merciless flames, reduced to mere smoke and ash.