We are a house of culture and science, of relationships and the celebration of diverse beings in the world. A place where humans and non-humans live happily together.
Musa sits on a 100-hectare (1 km2) area at the Adolpho Ducke Forest Reserve, belonging to the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia [National Institute for Amazonia Research] – INPA, in Manaus, a native dryland forest area that has been passionately studied for the last 60 years. The results of this research, compiled in catalogs that broach topics such as plants, birds and frogs, tell what Musa wants to show visitors.
At Musa, one can find exhibitions, orchids and bromeliads, araceae, palm trees, ferns, snakes, spiders and scorpions, butterflies, cicadas, mushrooms and fungus vivariums, and also a sensory garden, a Victoria amazonica lake, and aquariums. A 42-meter high tower provides a magnificent view of the treetops, unforgettable at 6 am.
Seven forest trails allow visitors to take pleasant walks and make surprising discoveries. At Musa, we develop research on science popularization and scientific and cultural education.
A living museum
Which secrets do the waters of the Negro River hide? Which constellations do the several Amazon indigenous ethnicities identify in the sky? How does a mosquito see the forest around it? Would it be possible to “see” the air that moves among the treetops?
The complexity and rich social and biological diversity in the Amazon gives rise to questions. We have already found answers to some of these. Others are yet to be discovered. Musa’s proposition is to imagine questions and seek answers.
In order to fulfill this goal, we must seek out nature. Senses such as touch and sight are not our only allies in this journey – microscopes, magnifying glasses and micro cameras can help. In order to understand how a bird sees or how an ant perceives the world, we will often need to leave the observer’s position, becoming birds or ants. How? This is what we want to find out.
Musa’s invitation to its visitors is to see the forest through new lenses. Seeing it from the point of view of its inhabitants, with their cultures as well as their means of survival and reproduction.