Brazilian Ark: The Museum of the Instituto Geográfico e Histórico da Bahia (1894–1927)

Abstract

The Instituto Geográfico e Histórico da Bahia (IGHB — Geographical and Historical Institute of Bahia), was founded in 1894 in the north-east of Brazil. Its collection was amassed through donations from members and other interested parties, and the museum was comprised of a regional fauna section and a natural products exhibit. The objective of this Institute was to become a research centre, equating Bahia with modernizing republican initiatives and ideals of civilization. This article evaluates the contribution of collective donation with analysis of the survey results from the donation lists published in the Institute's periodical from 1894 to 1927. Although the plans were to create a museum structured like a natural history museum similar to the Rio de Janeiro National Museum, the donation of objects established an eclectic collection that represented the history of Bahia in its specificities. The Institute's emergent acquisition strategy led to the museum becoming something like a centre of regional significance with regional heroes building the path to good citizenship. Natural history, in this civic environment, was relegated to second place.