Brazil gov’t creates agency to administer museums

On Monday (Sep. 10), Brazilian President Michel Temer signed two provisional presidential decrees on the administration of, and support for, museums. The first establishes the foundation of Brazilian Agency of Museums (Abram), which will administer 27 museums previously managed by the Brazilian Institute of Museums (Ibram).

Abram will also be involved in the reconstruction of the National Museum of Rio de Janeiro, destroyed by a fire early in September. The second measure outlines how private funds are to be raised, by means of the creation of the so-called Property Endowments .

“We’re assigning the reconstruction of the National Museum to Abram, in response to the demands for a management and governance model, in partnership with the UFRJ [Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, currently in charge of the administration of the National Museum],” said Culture Minister Sérgio Sá Leitão.

The agency will have a dedicated source of funding, which will have “over twice as much” the resources previously earmarked for the sector. Officials currently working with Ibram, linked to the Minister of Culture, will be relocated to Abram and to the ministry’s Secretariat for Collections and Museums, also recently founded.

Endowments

The new Property Endowments plan establishes how private investment is to be drawn for institutions linked to education, sciences, technology, research and innovation, culture, health care, environment, social work, and sports.

The endowments are also expected to be available to Abram. The funding will be provided by the private enterprise and will also be used to rebuild the National Museum. The country’s largest banks and private companies have expressed their interest in joining the efforts by offering investment to the fund.