Museu Théo Brandão, Anthropology and folklore museum in central Maceió, Brazil
Museu Théo Brandão occupies an eclectic-style building on Avenida da Paz in the Jaraguá neighbourhood of Maceió. Its rooms hold the popular art collection that professor and folklorist Théo Brandão donated to the Federal University of Alagoas, with paintings, ceramic sculptures carved from regional tree trunks, local handicrafts and objects from Alagoas folk festivals.
The institution was founded in 1975 and moved to its current location in 1977 during Brazil's Fifth Folklore Festival. The building itself dates from the 19th century and displays the eclectic architectural style of that period.
The museum's name honours Théo Brandão, a professor and folklorist who donated his popular-art collection to the Federal University of Alagoas. Its archive holds recordings of regional music, viola singing, emboladas and folguedos, plus a card index on popular culture. Rooms show works by Alagoan artists: paintings, ceramic sculptures and carvings on regional tree trunks.
The museum is open on weekdays during daytime hours and is within walking distance of downtown Maceió. Larger groups benefit from arranging visits ahead of time to ensure a guided tour and adequate time for viewing.
The museum preserves Professor Théo Brandão's original collection, including rare Super-8 films and audio recordings of folk performances. These audiovisual materials were captured when such documentation was uncommon and offer insight into how people celebrated and expressed their traditions.
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