Project
Museu Nacional Vive Project
A fire on 2 September 2018 destroyed one of Latin America's most important scientific and anthropological institutions, the National Museum in Rio de Janeiro.
After the fire, UNESCO - through its Heritage Emergency Fund - organized a mission of experts to support local partners in the first actions in coordination with national and local authorities and technical teams. The mission contributed to planning the first rescue and emergency actions.
In a joint effort with the then Ministry of Culture (MinC), the Ministry of Education (MEC), the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), the National Museum, the National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute (IPHAN), the Brazilian Museum Institute (IBRAM), and the International Committee of Museums (ICOM), the mission, led by a UNESCO specialist and assisted by a specialist from the International Centre for Studies for the Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), as well as German technicians, contributed to the Brazilian authorities in diagnosing the situation of the National Museum and assessing the damage caused to the building and its collection.
As a result, a final report proposed an action plan to reconstruct the National Museum through the Museu Nacional Vive (National Museum Lives) Project, which is a global international cooperation mainly focusing on the following:
- Rebuilding and restoring the Paço de São Cristóvão and its annexe building AlÃpio de Miranda Ribeiro
- Preparing the Palace to receive the new museography
- Renovating the Library and the Botanical Garden
- Implementing the Cavalariças Campus for Research and Teaching at the National Museum, comprising administrative sectors, research departments and laboratories
Rebuilding the National Museum
Within the Museu Nacional Vive global project, intending to ensure the smooth execution and continuity of the actions for reconstructing and restoring the National Museum in Rio de Janeiro, among other actions, this project has firstly implemented the Museu Nacional Vive's Governance Structure to establish strategic guidelines, monitoring and planning articulation to optimize activities of different initiatives and specific projects. The Governance Structure was signed on 17 December 2019 between the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Vale Foundation, and UNESCO.
The Governance Structure also aims to expand society's participation in the project centred on the functioning of three forums:
- Executive Committee – the main deliberative body to which the Technical Management Group of the project will be subordinated.
- Institutional Committee – consultative and with the participation of public, private and governmental partners.
- Post-Inauguration Safety and Sustainability Working Group – coordinated by BNDES and engaged by the Association of Friends of the National Museum and other third-sector institutions.
Integrated management and development of technical architecture, museology and museography projects and reconstruction actions and interventions for the restoration of the Paço São Cristóvão and annexe building AlÃpio de Miranda Ribeiro
This project is part of the Museu Nacional Vive Global Project. It continues the work carried out for the restoration of the Paço São Cristóvão and the reconstruction of the National Museum through the partnership with the Ministry of Education. The planned strategies and inputs aim at the restoration of the Palace and attached structures, as well as technical studies and interventions for the implementation of the Museum, considering UNESCO instruments and the premises contained in the Museu Nacional Vive Project established in the Governance Structure.
In September 2022, amid the celebrations of the Bicentennial of the Independence of Brazil, the project inaugurated the fully restored main facades and roofs of the Paço de São Cristóvão. It also launched exhibitions and promoted cultural and educational activities involving the community.
Another significant specialized work concluded was the restoration of 30 one-century-old Carrara marble sculptures. It resulted in 30 replicas of these statues placed on top of the Palace's facade. In addition, the original sculptures are now part of the institution's collection of historical pieces. Therefore, the project has already returned the entirety of this heritage to society.
Some Achievements by 2022
- Establishment of a Governance Structure
- Advancement of technical projects
- Content research for the new exhibitions
- of the Palace that survived the fire
- Launch of a and narratives
- 30 one-century sculptures restored, preserved and replicated
The Museu Nacional Vive Project’s official website provides more information about the initiative and presents image and video galleries, the reconstruction timeline and the execution schedule.
- Visit the Museu Nacional Vive website
