Methodology Used in the Cataloging of the Indigenous Collection of the Museum of Environmental Sciences Mundo Livre

Abstract

The central objective of this work is to present the procedures used in cataloging the collection of the Mundo Livre Museum of Environmental Sciences, linked to the Laboratory of Landscape Geoecology and Environmental Planning (LAGEPLAN) of the Department of Geography at the Federal University of Ceará (UFC). The museum is the result of an extension project that brings the university closer to society through activities such as exhibitions that integrate and democratize knowledge. The artifacts originate from partnerships with professors, researchers, and field trips. Due to the increase in the number of pieces, the need arose to organize the inventory, which was classified into four thematic axes: (i) Indigenous Peoples of Brazil; (ii) African Culture; (iii) Rocks and Minerals; and (iv) Bones and Fossils. Initially, research was conducted on the specificities of cataloging, highlighting materials from the International Council of Museums (ICOM), the International Committee for Documentation (CIDOC), specific texts related to the museum's artifacts, and cataloging methods. To this end, the Microsoft Excel program was used to record the origin, type of piece, specific details, and photographic record. In this sense, each piece was organized according to its thematic axis. It was concluded that the organization of the museum through cataloging contributes to the successful execution of extension activities and, consequently, to the learning and cultural dissemination process based on the fundamentals of environmental education, assisting in the training of students from public schools, communities, and academics involved in this project, being a positive contribution that values ​​environmental education and cultural diversity in an interdisciplinary way.