The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) is a scientific institution devoted to public health which is highly active in heritage preservation and science communication. Fiocruz was founded in 1900 and has a long tradition in museums and collections. The Foundation is home to a historical site that is listed as a Brazilian national heritage site, partly accessible to the public through Museu da Vida (Museum of Life), the institution’s science museum. This paper presents the plan for requalification of this historical site, a master plan that will reshape Museu da Vida and enlarge its exhibition galleries, with an emphasis on the museum’s relationship with the public, the city, and Fiocruz collections. The plan aims to expand access to the historical buildings, make the Fiocruz collections more accessible to the public, renovate the long-term science exhibition at Museu da Vida, strengthen the relationship between the institution and its territory, and enhance the popularization of knowledge produced by Fiocruz. A major challenge for this project is to communicate contemporary scientific research at Fiocruz, integrating interactive devices with collections and historical perspectives in galleries located in the heritage buildings. A key element here is to understand the institution’s tradition as a gateway to contemporary innovation and as an element to spark public engagement with the subject. We present the plan’s principles and guidelines and its approaches to the new long-term exhibitions, and conclude by discussing the project’s sustainability.