Thread by @marinamaral2

The National Museum has one million pieces to compose future collections. These are collections of botany, vertebrates and invertebrates, as well as a library with 500 thousand books.

They were not in the palace, and therefore were not destroyed.

#MuseuNacional

Cristiana, one of the vice directors of the museum, said that much of the researches was saved, since departments had backed up the material, and one of the servers was not damaged by the fire. #MuseuNacional

People who are trying to blame the museum staff for what happened should watch the interview some of them gave yesterday, crying and explaining how much they begged the government for money. Brazil is a country where absolutely nothing works, and many professionals...

... are forced to work with their hands tied behind their backs, which was the case here.

I'll translate and share the interview.

It is easy to judge what happened if you live in a country where laws are respected and the government does something to protect its institutions.

Dozens of our politicians, including a former president, are in jail. It's shameful.

Yes, the museum had no sprinklers. The hydrants were dry. But we should not blame the museum staff. They are as devastated as we are. Many of them have lost decades of work in the fire.

They are beginning the excavations, and say they are hopeful they will recover many items, including Luzia. This gives me no comfort, but it's something.