The Coffee Museum, a jewel of our history, was also affected by the crisis and had 20% of its money cut and needs help to make a new restoration. The last one was held more than 20 years ago.
The Official Coffee Palace has just reached its 96th anniversary, and the Coffee Museum, which houses it, as well as other museums in Brazil, had its fund cut by 20% in 2018 by the State Department of Culture of the state of São Paulo, which is the body responsible for its management.
The Coffee Museum receives a public of 300,000 people a year and, among the museums managed by the Department, is the fourth most visited, behind only the Pinacoteca, the Catavento and the Soccer Museum, all located in the capital.
What few people know is that the Immigration Museum www.museudaimigracao.org.br, located in São Paulo, is its sister museum, given that coffee would not have expanded as it did, without the work force of the immigrants who came to replace the slave labor in the crops. Both museums are managed by the Institute for Preservation and Dissemination of the History of Coffee and Immigration.
Coffee Museum
The great challenge of the management team at the Coffee Museum is to maintain the interest of this public in its collection, as well as to preserve the historical building that is 96 years old, registered by the three responsible bodies, Condephat, Ipham and Condepasa. “At the time of its construction, coffee was the largest economic force in Brazil. For this reason, the Museum was built with the most noble and expensive materials in the world, such as Italian marbles, imported special mortar, paintings and panels by Benedito Calixto etc. Keeping the Museum with all its peculiarities is an immense challenge, since the sea and the climate help to deteriorate it even more quickly,” explains the executive director, Alessandra Rodrigues de Almeida. The last restoration implemented in the Museum took place 20 years ago, still under the management of Mário Covas.
Coffee Museum
“Since then, investment has been made only in the museum maintenance, not in its restoration. And we have issues here, from the very location of the building, in view of the sea effect, for example, that justify a special care with the building,” he says. And there is still the issue of safety and of the whole apparatus against fire, given that, according to the director, the Museum has all the operation and firemen permits absolutely regularized.
Coffee Museum
The director still has plans for several improvements. The first one is to fully recover the second floor and reopen the Palace’s former restaurant. “We wish to give back to society one of the most beautiful places in Santos and the Museum, which unfortunately has been closed for a long time. For its restoration, however, we will depend on private sector funding. Honestly, I think it is a great opportunity for coffee companies to continue to write the history of coffee to this day. The sector must have a sense of belonging when it comes to the Coffee Museum,” she says enthusiastically. Nowadays, the space is being occupied for events. Another highlight is the restoration project of the Coffee Museum Auditorium.
Coffee Museum
Helping preserve history
Since the beginning of the year, a core business has been operating, with a team of professionals fully dedicated to seeking partnerships in the private sector. The Museum also has the Coffee Museum Friends program, aimed at individuals who wish to collaborate. There are two categories: robust (R$ 100.00) and Arabica (R$ 500.00). Those who collaborate receive a series of benefits such as unlimited access to the institution, preferential line at ticket offices, differentiated prices in the shop and cafeteria, the coffee trolley and various courses offered in the house.
As for the contributions of legal entities, they may be made through INCI’s Partners Program, divided according to the amount to be made available. The companies can also support events and exhibitions of the Museum, with the due counterpart of the Rouanet Law. The Museum offers different projects for direct sponsorship such as temporary exhibitions, educational activities, seminars, courses, among others.
Coffee Museum
As a matter of fact, the Museum is currently in need of sponsorships to bring to Brazil an exhibition of Italian coffee machines, which has already toured several European capitals.
People and companies interested in joining can get in touch by calling +55 13 32131750 or by sending an e-mail to museudocafe@museudocafe.org.br
Coffee Museum
Opened in 1998, it is one of the main tourist attractions in Santos and its main objective is to preserve and disseminate the history of coffee in Brazil and in the world. It is unique in its genre.
By means of objects, documents, audiovisual resources and exhibitions, the public is shown a picture of the evolution of coffee cultivation and also of the country’s political, economic and cultural development from the 18th century until today.
Official Coffee Bag (Coffee Museum, Santos, São Paulo)
Rua Quinze de Novembro, 95, Centro, Santos, SP, 110010-150
