Second Brazilian museum fire in two years reignites calls for reform

Second Brazilian museum fire in two years reignites calls for reform

Brazil museum fire reignites calls for reform

A fire has destroyed valuable collections at a natural-history museum in southeastern Brazil. The blaze at the Federal University of Minas Gerais’ museum damaged several rooms full of fossils, large archaeological objects, folk art, Indigenous artefacts and biological specimens. The disaster comes less than two years after a massive inferno gutted the prized National Museum in Rio de Janeiro, and has amplified a discussion among Brazilian scientists pushing for policies to help protect research collections. “The sadness is matched only by the fear that other, similar disasters will continue to destroy [Brazil’s] scientific heritage,” says archaeologist André Prous.

Nature | 4 min read