In a year of ups, downs, loops and scoops, Attractions Management looks back at some of the biggest stories to hit the headlines, giving possible indicators at what’s still to come in the year ahead.

A tragic fire struck in September, destroying Brazil's historic national museum. In more positive news, the Museum of Ice Cream announced it was permanent attraction following successful debut year and San Antonio Zoo unveiled plans for a US$200m expansion.

Fire destroys two centuries of science, culture and education

A fire which raged at the 200-year-old Museu Nacional in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, caused an 'incalculable' losses of historic artefacts and objects. Several landmark collections were housed in the museum, whose loss was devastating for the country. The historic museum is one of the leading scientific institutions in South America and housed more than 20 million items – including "Luzia", a 12,000-year-old skeleton of a woman, the oldest human remains ever found in the Americas.

Entire galleries were also dedicated to priceless artefacts from Egypt and the museum also housed a large European art collection and a palaeontology department.

In a statement, two vice chancellors of the institution said the losses could be 'beyond calculation'.

“It's an unimaginable disaster. It's 200 years of Brazil's heritage and 200 years of memory," said Luiz Duarte, one of the museum's vice-directors, local news channel TV Globo.

"It's 200 years of science, culture and education.”

Frozen delights

San Francisco's popular Museum of Ice Cream (MOIC) doesn't look like it's going to start melting anytime soon after the visitor attraction announced its permanent residence in the city following a successful debut year.

Originally intended only as a temporary installation, more than 500,000 visitors have flocked to the Bay Area of San Francisco over the last year to explore the sweet treats on offer at MOIC.

Created by its founder, Maryellis Bunn, the museum offers an immersive, multi-sensory experience, where ice cream – a "universal symbol of joy, a personal pleasure, and a transportive vehicle for anyone’s imagination" – is the star of the show.

Becoming a permanent attraction, the museum will next year unveil a 2.0 version of the experience, with a series of new installations and flavours coming in 2019.

Check out the Museum of Ice Cream in the latest edition of Attractions Management. click here for more.

San Antonio's US$200m zoo plan

Officials at the San Antonio Zoo are expanding the 104-year-old visitor attraction, unveiling a US$200m (€172m, £154.3m) masterplan for the historic site.

The zoo in Texas, US, has had its development plan for the next 20 years laid out by its leaders, starting with a new US$1m (€860,000, £772,000) rhino habitat, which broke ground the month previously.

“We have been working on our master plan for over a well year now and we are excited to build upon the momentum we have gained with recent improvements to the zoo," said Tim Morrow, CEO and executive director of San Antonio Zoo in a statement to Attractions Management.

"Over the next 20 years, we will create new large, naturalistic habitats in ways never seen before by our visitors taking advantage of current zoo spaces, as well as unutilised land on our property which will be fully transformed."

Check back with Attractions Management tomorrow for a look back at the highlights from October