Coleções etnográficas

: questões de inventariação, exposição, conservação e restauro: o acervo da Sociedade Martins Sarmento

Abstract

This dissertation addresses intangible heritage, its importance, and issues related to its inventory, exhibition, and preservation. It is based on ethnographic collections and their challenges, through an internship carried out at Sociedade Martins Sarmento in Guimarães, where two collections from the institution's archive were studied: the Fundo Ultramarino and the Fundo de Cultura Popular. The inventory of the mentioned collections was summary and required further development. It underwent a partial revision aimed at enhancing the existing information and incorporating new data in order to reflect the nature of the heritage in question and propose alternative approaches. The museological context was also analyzed, and similar institutions with different exhibition models were visited. Additionally, targeted restoration interventions were carried out on pieces from the mentioned collections, with the methodology and processes presented in this work. Considering the specificities of intangible heritage, the internship experience led to the conclusion that new forms of inventorying are needed, ones that involve greater social participation, participatory strategies, and public debate, so that other dimensions of the objects can be acknowledged, and the preservation of heritage can be more comprehensive. This dissertation aimed to reflect upon, problematize, and contribute to the understanding of the intangible nature of the two studied collections.

Date of Award	8 Sept 2025
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Laura Castro (Supervisor)