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.

The losses were overwhelming, encompassing 30,000 artifacts representing indigenous Brazilian communities, along with invaluable recordings of languages that had no living speakers left. The entomology collection, consisting of 5 million specimens, including vital holotypes - single individuals on which entire species are based - was completely destroyed when the floor housing it collapsed. The museum was also home to numerous exceptionally preserved pterosaur fossils and a plethora of other fossil discoveries dating back centuries. The full extent of the devastation remains incalculable, as it extended far beyond physical objects and impacted global knowledge, history, and cultural heritage.

Among those directly affected by the catastrophic event was Beatriz Hörmanseder, a paleontologist who was pursuing her master's degree while working at the museum. Devastatingly, her research on a new species of extinct crocodile, distinct from others found in the Ceará region, was lost in the fire. Witnessing the destruction of her work and its last known specimen left her in shock and disbelief. The entire museum community was similarly stunned, watching the conflagration engulf room after room, including the entomology collection and the paleontology department, which ultimately burned last.

In the aftermath, remnants of charred books, field notes, and personal stories floated near the museum, haunting reminders of the catastrophe. Many individuals felt compelled to collect these fragments as tokens of their connection with the institution. A social media hashtag, "Museu Nacional Vivi" (The National Museum is Alive), emerged as a means to share updates on the response and recovery efforts. An exhibition with the same name was curated to showcase surviving collections and artifacts salvaged from the community, rekindling hope for future research endeavors.

The international community rallied to support the museum's recovery, with Germany pledging 1 million euros and Brazilian authorities securing over $15 million US dollars for reconstruction. Other countries also contributed materials, such as France, which donated close to a thousand books to restock the museum's library - once the most significant social sciences collection in Latin America. Furthermore, an emergency program, in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution, was established to assist impacted students, including Beatriz, offering access to paleontology collections from institutions like the American Museum and Yale Peabody Museum.

In an act of personal healing and solidarity, Beatriz got a tattoo of the museum's facade on her arm, sparking a movement among those directly affected by the fire. This body art not only symbolized their shared experience but also served as a reminder of the rich heritage that was lost that fateful day. The Museu Nacional tragedy left an indelible mark, changing the course of many lives and prompting global reflection on the importance of preservation and the value of knowledge and cultural heritage.

Although the museum's complete restoration is unattainable, the legacy of its collections lives on in the memories of those who cherished them. As individuals and societies, we must learn from this catastrophe, making conscious choices to preserve our shared cultural and scientific heritage for future generations. The loss of Museu Nacional is a poignant reminder of the fragility of our collective history and the importance of safeguarding it for all humanity.