The National Museum of Rio de Janeiro between slavery and freedom

ABSTRACT The National Museum, owned by the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, suffered a tragic fire a few months after celebrating its bicentennial in 2018. As the oldest science institution in Brazil, its collection reveals many stories. This article analyzes the trajectory of the Quintino Pacheco Collection and the Libertadora raft, both acquired in the last decade of slavery and directly related to the struggle for freedom. Their social life unveils the human actions that gave them meaning and it is in our interest to understand how different actors called the value of these objects into question.