A large fire broke out at the Paço de São Cristóvão, which houses the National Museum of Brazil, in Rio de Janeiro, on September 2, 2018, at around 19:30 local time. Reaction to the cultural loss was swift, as the museum's holdings included over 20 million items, with Brazil's president Michel Temer calling the loss of the historical and cultural heritage "incalculable". The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, but may be connected to the museum's ongoing lack of funding for the previous half-decade. No injuries were reported.[1][2][3]