Former architecture uncovered in restoration of Rio’s National Museum
Parts of the structure of an old chapel, traces of floors and sidewalks that used to connect the main courtyard to the Princesses’ Garden, an old stove, and glass jars are among the artifacts unearthed during the restoration work of the São Cristóvão palace—the headquarters of the National Museum, at Quinta da Boa Vista, in northern Rio de Janeiro.
Built in the early 19th century, the palace went through several renovation works to accommodate the Portuguese royal family, and later on the imperial family, before it served as the headquarters of the national museum. The historic building and its archive were consumed by a fire in 2018. The restored façade was delivered last month, but construction goes on until 2027, when the renovation is expected to be completed and the museum fully reopened.
The archaeological prospecting and rescue work, which uncovers objects linked to the daily life in the palace across different periods in history, is being conducted by archaeologists from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), which controls the museum.
Transformations
According to National Museum professor Marcos André Torres de Souza, who spearheads the activities, the excavations reveal the transformations the building went through and unearth discarded artifacts, which makes it possible to “build new understandings about our past.”
“These finds have the potential to reveal the archaeology of the museum to future visitors, enabling both the display of the architectural structures (that were covered up and that help tell the rich history of the building that housed the royal and imperial families) and the recovery of the artifacts that tell the story of the people who lived and worked on its premises.”
The professor explains that the project’s archaeological approach aims to discover information about the daily life of the different social groups that lived and worked in the palace besides the royal family.
According to the National Museum, the activities are permanent and developed in partnership with the Projeto Museu Nacional Vive (“National Living Museum Project”) and the Curatorial Committee for the institution’s future exhibitions.
Archaeology Week
The archeological monitoring and recovery work at the São Cristóvão palace is among the topics covered by the 1st Week of Historical Archeology of the National Museum/UFRJ, which includes round-tables and the promotion of scientific studies in the field. The event starts today and runs until Friday (Oct 21).
