What is the role of the Glórias collection?

Discover, rescue, study, preserve and transmit

The purpose of the Glórias collection is to discover, rescue, study, preserve and transmit rare and historical autograph documents, contributing to collective memory and complementing the work carried out by public institutions . Our collection is available to museums, libraries and research centers, as well as to private collectors and the general public — students, teachers or simply curious — who can explore the content free of charge through our website, designed as an online museum open to all.

Professionals who have worked in partnership for centuries

For centuries, art dealers, collectors, museums and archives have collaborated to preserve humanity’s documentary heritage . This partnership is essential because the volume of historical documents is immense, and governments, no matter how committed they are, do not have all the human, technical and financial resources to locate, acquire, study and preserve each valuable piece. The work of private and independent agents has always made it possible to save documents that might otherwise be lost over time, in addition to offering new forms of access and research, thus revitalizing the fields of history, culture and education.

What is the Rouanet Law?

In this context, the Rouanet Law makes perfect sense because it creates a bridge between the private sector and the preservation of cultural heritage , allowing companies and individuals to actively participate in the protection of the country's historical memory.

Since the State alone cannot identify, acquire and preserve all relevant documents — whether due to budgetary, logistical or personnel limitations — the law allows civil society, through tax incentives, to contribute directly to serious and well-structured projects , such as the Glórias collection.

This way, we can join forces to rescue important pieces of our history and ensure that they are preserved, studied and shared with the public , always in dialogue with cultural institutions. It is an intelligent, transparent and collaborative way to keep Brazil's memory alive.

How does the Rouanet law work when applied to autograph documents?

In this case, the Rouanet Law functions as a legal instrument that makes it possible to acquire, preserve and disseminate rare autograph documents with the support of sponsors — companies or individuals — who receive tax benefits in return.

The process is as follows: the Glórias collection identifies a set of documents of high historical and cultural value (for example, letters from the Empire, manuscripts by Santos Dumont, etc.) and proposes a cultural project based on this acquisition. This project is presented to the Ministry of Culture through the SALIC platform. It must meet technical criteria , present cultural reports and justifications, and indicate which institution will be the final beneficiary of the collection.

After approval, the project is authorized to raise funds from sponsors. These sponsors can deduct up to 100% of the amount invested from their income tax due — up to 4% for companies and up to 6% for individuals. After fundraising, the acquisition is made, the documents are delivered to the indicated institution (such as a museum, library or public archive) , and the entire process is audited and communicated, promoting both the preservation of the heritage and the image of the sponsor.

In other words, the Rouanet Law, in this case, allows the private sector to finance the incorporation of historical documents into public or accessible collections, with transparency, legal security and institutional return.

How Glórias could, with the Rouanet Law, make the rescue of historical documents viable: two examples

A "Santos-Dumont" project

In the first example, Glórias locates, in a private collection in the interior of Minas Gerais, a set of autographed documents by Alberto Santos Dumont — including personal letters, handwritten notes about his experiments with airships and original photographs of his travels.

Recognizing the historical value of the material, Glórias proposes its incorporation into the collection of a public institution, such as the Aerospace Museum, and structures a complete cultural project, submitted for approval by the Ministry of Culture via the Rouanet Law. Glórias then arranges sponsorship with a Brazilian company in the aeronautics sector, which finances the operation with tax benefits.

Glórias follows all stages — from curation to formal delivery to the institution — ensuring that the collection is preserved, studied and shared with the public through exhibitions and digital platforms.

An "Empire" project

In the second case, a private collector in Rio de Janeiro contacts Glórias after gathering a significant set of documents from the imperial period — such as letters signed by Dom Pedro II, minutes of parliamentary sessions and official letters exchanged between figures from the Court and Brazilian provinces.

Glórias analyzes the collection, prepares the cultural project and establishes a partnership with the Imperial Museum, proposing the donation of the documents after acquisition. The project is then submitted to the Rouanet Law, and Glórias is responsible for raising funds from an interested sponsor, such as a law firm or a financial institution that works with cultural projects.

The collector participates in the appreciation and preservation of national heritage, the sponsor gains institutional visibility and the public has free access to essential documents for understanding the history of Brazil — all curated and managed by Glórias.

Why would a company or individual be interested in donating a collection to a public institution?

There are three main advantages:

1. Tax incentive : companies and individuals can deduct up to 100% of the amount invested from Income Tax, respecting the legal limits established by the Rouanet Law (4% for companies, 6% for individuals).

2. Contribution to national memory and education : by supporting the preservation of historical documents, the donor directly contributes to strengthening Brazilian cultural heritage. The collections become part of public institutions, becoming accessible to students, researchers and the general public.

3. Institutional visibility and appreciation : the sponsor's name can be associated with the project in exhibitions, catalogues and promotional materials, ensuring broad visibility on official channels, in the press and at cultural events. It is an opportunity to align the image of the company or donor with an action with lasting cultural and social impact.

Why Glórias can't donate its most valuable documents to museums

Glórias' mission is to preserve, study and give visibility to rare and precious historical documents, often threatened with disappearance in Brazil due to lack of care, knowledge or infrastructure. To fulfill this role with seriousness and impact , Glórias operates as a specialized and self-sustainable structure, which needs to reconcile its cultural responsibility with the financial viability of its activity .

Technical, complex and continuous work

The journey of each document to the Glórias collection involves a long and demanding process: it is necessary to locate , negotiate , transport , authenticate , study and preserve these items with extreme care. This chain of actions requires time, specialized technical knowledge and considerable financial resources.

Self-financing to ensure continuity

Glórias does not receive public funding or permanent sponsorship. Therefore, each document recovered and made available for sale contributes directly to the financing of its own activity: the profit generated is reinvested in the conservation of the existing collection and in the acquisition of new documents that, otherwise, might be lost forever.

Sales value as a preservation instrument

The high sales value of certain documents is not only a consequence of their rarity and importance, but also a strategic instrument : it ensures that these pieces enter serious collections — whether institutional or private — where they will continue to be preserved with the care they deserve. Furthermore, these values ​​support the entire operation of Glórias , allowing us to continue locating and saving documents that are still at risk.

One-off donations, yes. Systematic donations, no.

With great joy, Glórias makes occasional donations to partner institutions , when conditions allow . However, making this practice systematic would put at risk the very existence of Glórias, and consequently, the preservation of many other documents that have not yet been discovered.

Glórias, like a museum, operates with a cultural commitment. However, unlike traditional institutions, we operate with a hybrid and innovative model , where the economic appreciation of documents is an essential part of the strategy of preserving and transmitting historical memory.

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