With the cooperation of numerous scientists and their families, the Casa de Oswaldo Cruz has identified and acquired the personal archives of individuals who had eminent careers in the biomedical sciences and public health. Two such individuals were Oswaldo Cruz and Carlos Chagas, both of whom are registered with the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme.
Comprising 102 archives and collections – including textual documents, iconography, maps, sound recordings, and film images dating as early as 1803 – these public and personal records constitute an unparalleled repository of the memory and history of health in Brazil. Available for consultation, the holdings encompass collections that had been compiled by the various institutes that were joined under the umbrella of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in 1970. They also include portions of archives held by other health institutions as well as collections of scientists, public health specialists, physicians, and technical specialists who helped draft and enforce public health policy in Brazil.
On-site consultation of the Historical Archives is by appointment only. Documents cannot be borrowed but copies can be made as long as this presents no conservation risk. A photocopy fee schedule and instructions for citing records are available at the Historical Archives Research Room.
View photo gallery featuring historical photos and records from the Archives Collection
Consulting the collection
You may research the archives online (Arch Database; available only in Portuguese) or schedule an on-site appointment, where Historical Archives staff will be available to assist you.
Hours, location, and contact for scheduling and appointment
Mon.-Fri., 9:00 am-4:30 pm
Room 614, Expansion Building, Fiocruz
Avenida Brasil, 4036; Manguinhos; Rio de Janeiro
dad.consulta@fiocruz.br
