Balaenoptera musculus: the “Sophia’s whale” as scientific heritage of the Museum of Natural History and Science of the University of Porto (MHNC-UP)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2178-6224v20i2p169-188Keywords:
History of Science, Natural History, Zoological Collection, Museology, Scientific HeritageAbstract
This article examines the historical process of patrimonialization of the blue whale, known as “Sophia's whale”, belonging to the zoology collection of the Natural History and Science Museum of the University of Porto (MHNC-UP), in Portugal. The text details the transformation of this zoological specimen into scientific and museological heritage. The research addresses the stages of musealization, patrimonial classification, and the importance of the skeleton for science. Additionally, it highlights the cultural relevance of the specimen, evidenced by the literary reference of the renowned Portuguese poet Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen. The method used in this investigation was historical and documentary analysis, encompassing information contained in books, photographs, and videos, from the whale's stranding at Praia do Paraíso in 1937 to its installation in the Gallery of Biodiversity, located in Casa Andresen, in 2014. The conclusions of this investigation show that this whale has become a symbol of MHNC-UP, representing an iconic scientific and cultural heritage for the history of Lusitanian and Porto zoology, and providing information about a fascinating chapter in the history of science and museology.
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