Evandro Chagas Institute Museum opens its doors with exhibitions from the Pará Planetarium and partners
The Planetarium participates in the museum with two exhibitions: "VIII Science and Art Contest: Astrophotography" and "Female Constellations: Women Who Illuminate Science."
On Friday, the 14th, the inauguration of the Evandro Chagas Institute Museum (MEV) took place, with the presence of the Minister of Health, Alexandre Padilha, and the Minister of Women, Márcia Lopes. The opening marked the handover of the mansion, which housed the institution until the year 2000, and was revitalized to host the museum, with the aim of expanding access to knowledge and preserving the history of public health in the country.
The mansion will be open to the public from 10 am to 4 pm on the following dates: November 18, 21, 22, 23, 25, and 27; December 2, 5, 9, 12, 13, 14, 16, and 19. The MEV is located at Av. Almirante Barroso, 492.
During the inauguration of the museum, Minister Alexandre Padilha emphasized that the space not only showcases the scientific production of the Evandro Chagas Institute but also establishes connections with other local institutions, such as the Pará Center for Sciences and Planetarium (CCPPA), linked to the State University of Pará (Uepa). "The Pará Planetarium is present with a beautiful demonstration of what the Amazon sky is, of the women who participated in scientific production throughout history, defending science and communicating this to the population," he stated.
The Pará Center for Sciences and Planetarium (CCPPA), linked to the State University of Pará (Uepa), participates in the museum with two exhibitions: "VIII Science and Art Contest: Astrophotography" and "Female Constellations: Women Who Illuminate Science." The CCPPA will also promote a Moon observation event in the outdoor area of the museum on December 4, starting at 7 pm, with free entry and no prior booking required.
According to the director of the Pará Center for Sciences and Planetarium, being present at the MEV reinforces the institution's commitment to disseminating scientific knowledge. "The CCPPA had the honor of being invited to the inauguration of the IEC Museum, in which we participated with two exhibitions. This is another space for the dissemination of our mission: to popularize knowledge of Sciences and Astronomy in Pará."
The director of the Evandro Chagas Institute, Lívia Carício Martins, emphasized the importance of the partnerships established for the creation of the new space, located in a historic mansion from the 20th century. "It is very important that we have the partnership and collaboration of various institutions, especially Uepa, with the Planetarium team, which is here today participating in this moment," she stated.
On this occasion, Professor Pedro Fernando da Costa Vasconcelos from Uepa, who is among the 100,000 most influential scientists in the world, was also present.
Exhibitions
One of the exhibitions organized by the CCPPA consists of the winning photographs from the 2025 edition of the Science and Art Contest, in the children's, youth, and adult categories, based on the theme "Science and Art under the same sky: astrophotography revealing the universe." The contest is an initiative of the Center, aimed at promoting and disseminating interest in Astronomy and related sciences.
The exhibition "Female Constellations: Women Who Illuminate Science," on the other hand, celebrates the legacy and contribution of women who transformed the world through science. The show highlights the fundamental role of pioneering female scientists in advancing knowledge in different fields, inspiring new generations to follow in their footsteps. Seven notable scientists are presented, whose trajectories marked the areas of Astronomy, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology, Accessibility, and Pedagogy: Valentina Tereshkova, Emmy Noether, Marie Curie, Hypatia of Alexandria, Nettie Stevens, Dorina Nowill, and Maria Montessori.
The show was part of the special programming commemorating the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, held in February at the Pará Planetarium. During the time the panels were displayed, the CCPPA interns presented concepts and experiments devised by women scientists.
"The exhibition was conducted by our interns from different fields of knowledge, who highlighted the trajectories of remarkable women scientists. The idea is that by knowing these stories, other girls and women can recognize themselves in science and feel encouraged to follow their own paths. It is a way to show that science is a possible place for all of us," explains Fernanda Barros, a Biology technician at the CCPPA and one of the organizers of the show.
For Valdete Barra, a Pedagogy technician at the Planetarium who also organized the exhibition, the presence of women in Science - whether in Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Pedagogy, Astronomy, or in the fight for Accessibility - is essential to transform realities. "Every woman who occupies these spaces paves the way, breaks barriers, and inspires other women to believe that they can also be there. When one woman advances, all advance with her," she emphasizes.
The Evandro Chagas Institute museum also features the exhibition "Scientists and Institutions in the Amazon," organized by Professor Miguel Chaquiam from the State University of Pará. The show is present in two rooms and highlights the history of the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (MPEG), told through its directors, and also of the Pará scientist Guilherme de La Penha, who held the positions of director of MPEG, secretary of Science and Technology and Environment, secretary of Culture, and was also director of Space Programs at the Secretariat of Strategic Affairs of the Brazilian Space Agency.
"I am the guardian of a part of Guilherme de La Penha's collection through the Research Group in the History of Mathematics and Mathematics Education in the Amazon, linked to Uepa, of which I am a part. In this room, decorations, a book published by us called 'Intellectual Itinerary,' and personal objects of Guilherme de La Penha are displayed," highlights Miguel Chaquiam.
In the second room that makes up the exhibition "Scientists and Institutions in the Amazon," centennial educational institutions in Pará are highlighted, such as the Gentil Bittencourt College, the Lauro Sodré Institute, and the Paes de Carvalho State College.
Service
Evandro Chagas Institute Museum
Free entry and no prior registration required
From 10 am to 4 pm
In November: 18, 21, 22, 23, 25, and 27.
In December: 02, 05, 09, 12, 13, 14, 16, and 19
