Carnival at the museum and Mamãe’s adventures: reflections on museum objects, cultural performances, and urban space

Abstract The objective of this article is to summarize the trajectory of an object from the Théo Brandão Museum of Anthropology and Folklore in Alagoas and to subsequently raise questions related to the documentation and conservation of museum objects that are unconventional, but actively participate in the social life of cities where they are found. This will involve discussion of performances of an object in the city of Maceió and will also address resulting challenges with regard to conservation and documentation. It is important to point out some preliminary indications for resolving such challenges involving documentation and conservation of collections, without forgetting that the preservation of informational content and the social and symbolic meaning of objects are equally if not more important than maintaining their physical appearances.