#RECOMPOSE CAMPAIGN

ECONSTRUCTION AND RECONFIGURATION OF NATIONAL MUSEUM'S COLLECTION

Abstract

The fire at the National Museum in 2018 was one of the greatest patrimonial losses in the history of museums, destroying a large part of its collection and temporarily interrupting scientific practices established over two centuries. The tragedy highlighted the need for institutional reconstruction and the rebuilding of collections. In response, the #MuseuNacionalVive project established reconstruction initiatives, most notably the #Recompõe Campaign, officially created in 2021 to promote the rebuilding of institutional collections through donations. Following the incident, the #MuseuNacionalVive project established reconstruction initiatives, primarily the #Recompose Campaign, officially created in 2021 to promote the reconstruction of institutional collections through donations. This work aims to investigate the constitution, motivations, and operational procedures of the aforementioned campaign between 2021 and 2025, analyzing its articulation with the scientific and social mission of the museum and its role in the formation of new collections in the post-fire context. The methodology consists of exploratory and analytical research, based on documentary analysis of institutional reports and official documents. A qualitative-quantitative approach is adopted to examine the volume and profile of donations, in addition to a case study. The results indicate that the campaign operates as a museological device that transcends material replacement, integrating technical, symbolic, and affective dimensions. The donated objects are incorporated both as scientific evidence and as support for memory and narrative reconstruction. We conclude that the campaign contributes to a new configuration of the institutional collection in the post-fire context.