▁listed ▁as ▁Brazil ian ▁national ▁her itage ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Although ▁the ▁museum ▁was ▁officially ▁established ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁January ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁and ▁inaugur ated ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁August ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁its ▁history ▁is ▁much ▁older , ▁r anging ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁transfer ▁of ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁Court ▁to ▁Brazil ▁in ▁ 1 8 0 8 . ▁Fle eing ▁the ▁invasion ▁of ▁Portugal ▁by ▁French ▁troops , ▁King ▁John ▁VI ▁established ▁himself ▁in ▁Rio ▁de ▁Janeiro , ▁bringing ▁with ▁him ▁an ▁assemb lage ▁of ▁works ▁of ▁art ▁which ▁originally ▁belonged ▁to ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁Royal ▁Collection . ▁After ▁the ▁king ' s ▁return ▁to ▁Europe , ▁a ▁major ▁part ▁of ▁this ▁collection ▁stayed ▁in ▁Brazil ▁and ▁is ▁identified ▁as ▁the ▁main ▁core ▁of ▁European ▁art ▁in ▁the ▁museum . ▁The ▁collection ▁was ▁later ▁en larg ed ▁by ▁Jo achim ▁Leb re ton , ▁a ▁French ▁artist ▁who ▁led ▁the ▁French ▁Art istic ▁Mission ▁that ▁came ▁to ▁Brazil ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 6 ▁to ▁help ▁organ ise ▁the ▁arts ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁ ▁The ▁French ▁Art istic ▁Mission ▁was ▁charged ▁by ▁John ▁VI ▁to ▁organ ise ▁the ▁Royal ▁School ▁of ▁Sciences , ▁Arts ▁and ▁C raft s ▁in ▁Rio ▁de ▁Janeiro . ▁Its ▁first ▁building ▁— ▁designed ▁by ▁French ▁Ne oc lass ical ▁architect ▁Grand je an ▁de ▁Mont igny ▁— ▁was ▁inaugur ated ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 6 , ▁by ▁Brazil ian ▁Emperor ▁Peter ▁I .