Fiocruz Casa de Oswaldo Cruz Arquivo Histórico CDHS

History and Founding

The Historical Archive of the Casa de Oswaldo Cruz (COC) is the documentary heritage arm of the Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Brazil's leading public health research institution. The Casa de Oswaldo Cruz was created within Fiocruz in 1986 with a mandate to research and preserve the history of science and public health in Brazil. The archive's collections date back to 1803 and encompass the institutional records of all agencies that became part of Fiocruz in 1970, as well as personal archives donated by scientists and public health professionals.

Collections and Holdings

The Historical Archive comprises more than 100 fonds and collections. Materials span textual, iconographic, cartographic, audio, and film formats. Among the most significant collections are the personal archives of Oswaldo Cruz (1872–1917) and Carlos Chagas (1879–1934)—both inscribed in UNESCO's Memory of the World Programme. Other UNESCO-recognised collections include glass-plate negatives from the Instituto Oswaldo Cruz and the photographic archive of the Rockefeller Foundation's activities in Brazil (1930–1940). The archive also holds records from the Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, documentation relating to Brazilian public health policy, and personal fonds of scientists active in the twentieth century.

Notable Materials Related to Journalism and Media

The archive holds newspaper clippings collections documenting public health reporting, and personal fonds of scientists frequently referenced in the press. The Oswaldo Cruz Virtual Library (Biblioteca Virtual Oswaldo Cruz) makes selected materials available online, including press coverage of Cruz and early-twentieth-century public health campaigns.

Access and Usage

On-site consultation of the Historical Archive is by appointment only and takes place at the Centro de Documentação e História da Saúde (CDHS), 1st floor, Av. Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro. Copies are permitted if conservation concerns allow. An online database (Arch) is available in Portuguese at the Fiocruz portal. Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 am–4:30 pm.