In December 1974, when Dr. Nise da Silveira was about to retire, a group of collaborators led by educator Zoé Noronha Chagas Freitas created the Society of Friends of the Museum of Images from the Unconscious (SAMII). Its founding minutes include the names of important personalities from the fields of culture, arts and politics.

Since then, SAMII has been responsible for major projects undertaken at the Museum of Images from the Unconscious: renovations and infrastructure at the headquarters, the hiring of technicians and researchers, storage and registration of the collection, support for therapeutic activities, exhibitions, documentaries, publications – the Society is active in the daily life of the museum. Partnerships with public and private institutions have helped to maximize this work.

The heritage listing of part of the collection by the cultural heritage bodies of the Brazilian government, and the inclusion of Nise da Silveira’s personal archive in the UNESCO International Memory of the World Register, are results of SAMII initiatives for the protection and dissemination of this important legacy.