Museological communication in a university museum: applied research at the Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia - USP

Abstract

Among all the actions involved in the museological process, communication has been gaining increasing importance, due to various factors, both internal and external to the museum. Internally, museums have been improving a cyclic operational praxis which closes itself, without ever attaining completion, in communication, specifically concerning the reception of museological contents by the public. Externally, the museum public´s consciousness regarding their rights as cultural subjects in the process of interpretation of the musealized cultural heritage is increasing. This dynamics between the internal and the external factors - between museum and society and between museum professionals and the public - creates a "methodological place" appropriate for university museums to develop communication research, among their several activities. Museological research, as we know, is not restricted to university museums. Despite that, and not neglecting this aspect, the university museum is a primary locus of systematic and permanent research, not only because this is one of its duties, but, above all, because this museum tipology has, constitutively, production and reception inseparably united. The present paper aims at discussing the contribution of the Divisão de Difusão Cultural of Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia of USP concerning museological communication. In this sense, the museological research carried on by this institution is hereby presented for analysis. Moreover, our reflections hope to contribute to an increasing consciousness as regards the communication of museum collections.