Brazilian Museums Face Existential Crisis Amid Pandemic and Political Neglect
The Instituto Moreira Salles (IMS) closed its cultural centers in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Poços de Caldas during the coronavirus pandemic, shifting staff to remote work and focusing on digital initiatives like IMS Quarentena and the Programa Convida, which featured 60 artists reflecting on isolation. The Brazilian museum sector confronts severe historical challenges, including a lack of consolidated public policies and recent fires at the Museu Nacional do Rio and Museu de História Natural da UFMG. Approximately two-thirds of Brazilian museums are state-run, highlighting the urgent need for public policies, while private institutions also struggle for survival. The political climate under President Bolsonaro, marked by five different culture ministers in roughly eighteen months, has violently attacked cultural institutions, especially at the federal level, placing Brazilian culture under severe threat. The IMS, intrinsically linked to the Brazilian context, experiences these impacts daily and seeks to offer solidarity and support.
Key facts
- IMS closed its centers in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Poços de Caldas due to the pandemic.
- IMS launched digital initiatives including IMS Quarentena and Programa Convida with 60 artists.
- Brazilian museums lack consolidated public policies and face existential threats.
- Fires recently struck the Museu Nacional do Rio and Museu de História Natural da UFMG.
- About two-thirds of Brazilian museums are state-run.
- Private cultural institutions also face major difficulties and require public support.
- President Bolsonaro's government has had five culture ministers in about eighteen months.
- Federal cultural institutions have been violently attacked and disrespected under the current political climate.
Entities
Institutions
- Instituto Moreira Salles
- Museu Nacional do Rio
- Museu de História Natural da UFMG
Locations
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- Rio de Janeiro
- Poços de Caldas
- Minas Gerais