O Ecomuseu Municipal do Seixal

Tese de mestrado, Educção artística, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Belas Artes, 2011The perception of the difficulties for a clear understanding about the role of museums as educational entities by the public in general and about the place and role of education in museums administered by municipal councils, led us to question the role of a Municipal Museum in the community and search to know their importance in municipal museum institution. So we studied the Municipal Ecomuseum of Seixal, conducted interviews with management and coordination of Education Department with the aim to identify the actors thought about the role and place of education in a Municipal Museum, we made observations to the educational practices of Education Department, we collected and analyzed documents in order to sustain the discourse of the actors. This study allowed us to conclude that the specific nature of municipal museums decisively influence the educational work developed in these institutions because, first, the creation of a municipal museum is essential for the enhancement and safeguarding of local heritage. In this way the museum is like an educational entity. Secondly the territorial decentralization reflected in the diversity of heritage areas is, in turn, an obstacle to the small teams of educational services and becomes imperative to think about their organization. Thirdly it is clear the lack of training activities in the area of public assessment and the lack of assessment practices for education services. The introduction and development of assessment tools are critical to the development of educational quality. Fourthly it was noted that the "resignation" set of responsibilities in the educational mission by the guardianship, leads the museum as an institution of education, giving priority to the work with schools. Fifth the demanding schedule of cultural museums do not allow the implementation of initiatives based on other methodologies, although to the Patrimonial Education - aim here as a "solution" to establish partnerships with local community groups. Finally the lack of adherence to other audiences, although to schools, the initiatives of educational services, led us to question the term "educational service