The invertebrate paleontology collection at Rio de Janeiro's Museu Nacional

Abstract

This article examines the general characteristics of how the invertebrate paleontology collection at the National Museum [Museu Nacional] in Rio de Janeiro took shape and the stages in its trajectory, considering the institution’s own journey from the perspective of museology and heritage studies. It addresses the reach of the collection within the context of the department and the procedures and practices involved, namely research, education, and exhibitions. The collection’s trajectory reflects the contexts that formed the backdrop for the museum, domestically and globally, between the mid-1900s and the early twenty-first century.