Museum in the city: an agent of social change and development?

Abstract

Museums have traditionally consisted of educational institutions, nonprofit focused on custody, research and dissemination of cultural property of mankind. From the 1960s, museums have undergone a process of questioning their role and, in the 1970s opened, the world of museums, a reflection on the perspective of their social place, especially with regard to development. The ideas brought by the New Museology placed on the agenda for the discussion of their social role museums, emerging concepts such as eco-museum, museum full, community museum, museum neighborhood. In this new perspective, the museum is assumed as an agent of social change process, especially those local realities with specific cultural and social problems, such as indigenous and black communities, the poor neighborhoods in big cities. These new museums are created with a horizon of expectations different from those traditional ones. Contribute to the preservation of environmental and cultural heritage site, but propose to directly involve local people in its management. Without the effective participation of communities, these museums are not reason for their existence. And the traditional museums, such as arise in this new context? Follow your route, trying to meet its many demands or seeks to open up to ideas that make an actor of development? I propose in this article reflects the sense of open museums to the challenge of getting as promoters of social transformation, from a dialogue with society, following three biases: listening, participation and co-management. Key words: Eco-museums. Community Museums. Participation. Development.