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The idea of ​​the creation of the Taubate Natural History Museum (MHNT) came about a few decades before its inauguration.



From 1976 to 1978, Taubatean researcher Herculano Alvarenga discovered, restored and studied the almost complete skeleton of a gigantic fossil bird which after studying it, named after Paraphysornis brasiliensis.

It was a bird more than 2 meters tall, carnivorous that lived in the Paraíba Valley region, in southeastern Brazil. The fossil was discovered next to Taubaté, in the municipality of Tremembé (no more than 8 km from where the museum is today). After the original description (Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, vol. 54: 697-712 / 1982 and vol. 65: 403-406 / 1993), Paraphysornis gained great notoriety in the scientific community.

Several replicas of the giant bird have been made and exchanged with various museums around the world. The result was the acquisition of a rich collection, which over time was accumulated at the researcher's home. This collection was also enriched with other materials obtained in other incursions not only in the Taubaté Basin, but also in different regions of Brazil and abroad.

In addition to the aforementioned collection, a rich collection of skeletons was also organized for comparative research of paleontological material, and also some thousands of animals were taxidermized (embalmed).

On November 27, 2000, with the help of several friends, researchers, and collaborators, Alvarenga established the Science and Nature Support Foundation (FUNAT), to which it passed the entire collection, accompanied by a carefully crafted statute for the purpose. unique creation of the Museum of Natural History of Taubate (MHNT). The politically mature city of Taubate offered solid support from City Hall and a building was undertaken to start the museum.

Thus, on July 2, 2004, the Taubate Natural History Museum was inaugurated in a suitable location, surrounded by space for future growth. After all, much remains to be done.



Paraphysornis, which lived in this region about 23 million years ago, was the great motivator of this epic and therefore earned the title of symbol of the Museum of Natural History of Taubate; its animated version, FISÓ, created by artist Marcos Sachs, is now an MHNT mascot. After the inauguration, the thoughts of all those who participated are still present: “yes, never ready,” that is, the museum must always be renovated, modified and expanded; and so it has been.

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