Statement on the Tragic Destruction of Brazil’s National Museum

The staff and scholarly community of the John Carter Brown Library stand with the Brazilian people and all those who believe in the importance of history in the wake of the September 2, 2018 fire at the Museu Nacional in Rio de Janeiro. As an institution dedicated to the study and safekeeping of historical materials, the JCB will continue – with both public and private support – to digitize our collection and ensure that generations of students, scholars, and audiences throughout the Americas and indeed the world have access in perpetuity to this hemisphere's shared history. We will also use our excellent connections with Brazilian institutions – including anthropologists, historians, and librarians from the Museu Nacional in Rio, the Biblioteca Guita e José Mindlin in São Paulo, and universities and museums throughout the country – to build even stronger alliances and collaborations in the future.