National Museum in Rio, safety work is being done and children are being tried to start over. Arson hypothesis not ruled out

Work began yesterday, Monday, Sept. 10, to secure the National Museum of Rio de Janeiro, more than a week after the fire that devastated the structure and collections. The rooms uncovered by the fire will be covered to prevent rain and wind from causing further damage, and minor interventions will be conducted to make the structure more stable. In addition, experts will assess what can be restored. In the meantime, the work of the investigators also continues: the room from which the flames originated has been identified (but the Federal Police have not yet disclosed it so as not to fuel speculation), and the possibility of arson has not been ruled out.

The government, for its part, has decided to get involved by creating a new national agency that will be in charge of rebuilding the National Museum. In fact, Brazil’s president, Michel Temer, has signed two provisional measures, the first concerning precisely the creation of the new agency for museums: it will be called Abram, Agência Brasileira de Museus, will depend on the Ministries of Culture and Education, will lead the reconstruction of the National Museum, and will be endowed with a fund of 200 million Brazilian reais (just over 42 million euros). The second, on the other hand, is a measure that facilitates private donations for projects of public interest.

Efforts, however, may not be enough, so the director of the National Museum, Alexandre Kellner (who has been in his role since April), in an interview with the newspaper Exame, appeals to the government, asking for help in organizing an exhibition: “I want to set up an exhibition as soon as possible, to show that the museum is alive. But we need the government’s help, or we will close once and for all. I don’t want to be received by the authorities to put my foot down or ask for money: we want to address requests that don’t involve money.” And to nonetheless give a sign of life and restart, Kellner is already announcing the reopening of an exhibition, albeit a small one, in the Quinta da Boa Vista, the large park in downtown Rio de Janeiro where the Paço de São Cristóvão, home of the National Museum, is located. In addition, the director emphasizes, “we want to return to doing activities at least with children, who are the future of this country, in the Botanical Garden.”

Pictured is the National Museum in Rio de Janeiro after the fire. Ph. Credit Lu Brito

National Museum in Rio, safety work is being done and children are being tried to start over. Arson hypothesis not ruled out

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