Museu do Ipiranga

Abstract

The Museu do Ipiranga, or Museu Paulista da USP is a University of São Paulo integration organism and dedicates itself to the study of the History of the Brazilian society's Material Culture. The building that houses it was built as a Monument to Independence. The collections were began with the Museu Sertório collection, which was bought, at the end of 1890, by Counselor Francisco de Paula Mayrink, and donated by him to the State Government. The collection was subordinated to the State of São Paulo Geographical and Geological Commission between 1890 and 1893. In August 1893, it was determined that the Monument would be used as the Museum's headquarters. The collections were transferred and reorganization was authorized. The museum was solemnly inaugurated and open to the public on September 7th 1895. In 1934, it became a University of São Paulo complementary institute, and it was finally incorporated to it in 1963. The Museu Paulista owns more than 130 thousand pieces concentrated in three areas: Objects, Textual Documentation and Iconography, covering the period ranging from the 16th to mid 20th Centuries.