Eleventh International Conference on The Inclusive Museum

Abstract

It has been argued that since the adoption of UNESCO’s 2003 “Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage” scholars have examined how museums have been integrating ICH into their work, at times through the use of “new museological” approaches. It has also been noted that most of this research has focused on already-established museums and their strategies for adapting their work to accommodate the distinct qualities inherent to ICH. For this reason, it is suggested that examining museums whose “content” is an ICH element by UNESCO standards can illustrate alternative approaches to working with ICH, as well as allow certain expert statements to be contested. This paper addresses part of a larger research project focusing on traditional performing arts museums and the safeguarding of ICH. In this case, the Museu do Fado in Lisbon is examined and presented. The museum is at the centre of Portugal’s safeguarding initiatives and it is responsible for implementing the Safeguarding Plan submitted to UNESCO. Accordingly, the Museum’s strategic points for safeguarding fado will be discussed, revealing the strong relationships between the museum and the fado community and leading us to consider the Museum as representing an additional alternative within “new museological” approaches.