Research on the institutionalization of a conservationist policy in Brazil has privileged either the analysis of discourses on heritage, as formulated by the Service for the Protection of Historical and Artistic Heritage (Sphan), or the examination of measures aimed at protecting architectural heritage, which has constituted the core of governmental action in the field. Few studies mention similar endeavors in the field of museums, which constitutes the main objective of this article. I discuss a proposal for the creation of regional museums, taking the state of Minas Gerais in the 1950s as a case study.
regional museums; Sphan; museological culture; criteria for forming collections