MAST’s itinerant exhibitions at Itajubá: analysis of impacts on the population

Abstract

During 2012, two itinerant exhibitions produced by the Museum of Astronomy and Related Sciences (MCTI / MAST) were presented at Itajubá (Minas Gerais, Brazil), in the newly restored old city train station. The events, which had as its theme the work and lives of two important scientists – the astronomer Luiz Cruls and inventor Santos-Dumont -, were made possible thanks to an agreement between the MAST and the National Laboratory for Astrophysics (MCTI/LNA) and the support of the city administration. Subsequently, in September 2013, it was inaugurated the exhibition "Leonardo da Vinci - Mechanical Wonders" in the lobby of the Mauá Library at the Federal University of Itajubá (UNIFEI). The exhibition remained in that place until February 2014. Itajubá is a city that attracts students and professionals of high qualification, due to concentration of higher education institutions and companies of technological development. However, it does not yet offer a cultural and scientific environment compatible with its vocation as an innovative city. In this paper, we describe and study the impact of the experience of promotes in Itajubá three exhibitions with historical and scientific thematic. The study was conducted using data extracted from the visitors’ book and the analysis of evaluation questionnaires, answered by 453 visitors. Therefore, I analyzed the impact of the experience of offering a cultural product with scientific and historical themes, developed by experts, in a city that does not often promote or is exposed and this type of event. With this analysis, I intend to create a reference for Itajubá's cultural policies as well as to other regions of the country. Additionally, I expect to contribute for the improvement of the program of MAST’s itinerant exhibitions.