Associació de Professionals de la Museologia de Catalunya

The Associació de Professionals de la Museologia de Catalunya (AMC), historically known as the Associació de Museòlegs de Catalunya, is a non-profit cultural association of museum and heritage professionals in Catalonia, Spain. It works to improve Catalan museums and to promote the professionals who staff them. Its origins lie in the democratic transition: in July 1977 museum workers in Catalonia began meeting as the Assemblea de Museus, and on 12 October 1977 they constituted the Assemblea de Treballadors de Museus de Catalunya (ATMC), which drafted proposals for a Catalan museum policy. That movement was legalised as an association in 1983, and the Associació de Museòlegs de Catalunya proper was constituted on 30 June 1995 at the Museu d'Història de la Ciutat de Girona, inheriting the legacy of the ATMC (created in Barcelona in 1982), the Assemblea de Museus, and the Associació de Museòlegs de les Comarques de Girona (created in Olot in 1989). By 2013 the association counted more than 500 active members working in museums and in the conservation and management of Catalonia's natural and cultural heritage. The AMC pursues three main objectives: to define and strengthen the professional profile of the museologist and to work for social and labour recognition of the profession; to foster communication and relationships among museum professionals; and to watch over the proper functioning of museums and the safeguarding of the country's natural and cultural heritage. It organises continuing education through courses, seminars, workshops and technical visits; it publishes the journal Mnemòsine, the only museology journal written in Catalan, launched in 2004 and moved to digital-only publication in 2019; and it produces the Manuals de Museologia, a practical technical book series. It also awards the Premis de Museologia to outstanding professionals and museum experiences. The association is governed by a Junta Directiva, a General Assembly and territorial sections for Barcelona, Girona, Lleida and Tarragona. Its presidency has been held by figures including Joan Mayné, Carles Marfà, Carme Clusellas i Pagès, Olga López Miguel (2015–2019) and Joan Vicens Tarré (since 2019). It remains an active membership body, running events such as the Jornada de Museologia and presenting new manuals, and it serves as a reference point for museum professionals across Catalonia.

The Associació de Professionals de la Museologia de Catalunya (AMC) traces its roots to the democratic transition in Spain. In 1977, museum workers in Catalonia created a discussion platform, the Assemblea de Museus, to lay the foundations for a future Catalan museological policy. Its first meeting took place on 8 July 1977 at the Col·legi Oficial de Funcionaris de l'Administració Local de la Província de Barcelona, and by the end of that month meetings were being held at the Fundació Joan Miró. These gatherings produced working documents aimed at fitting Catalan museum policy into the emerging administrative framework after the recovery of institutions suppressed during Francoism. On 12 October 1977 the Assemblea de Treballadors de Museus de Catalunya (ATMC) was constituted, grouping all museum workers from porters to technicians, and it began drafting documents to embed museum policy within the Conselleria de Cultura. The Assembly was structured in three levels: a General Assembly, working commissions and a permanent commission. The movement was legalised with the constitution of an association in 1983, and the first monographic studies appeared in articles and journals. However, with the establishment of a legal and administrative framework for heritage and museology in Catalonia (the Museums and Heritage Law and the Junta de Museus de Catalunya), the ATMC lost momentum. The Associació de Museòlegs de Catalunya proper was constituted on 30 June 1995 at the Museu d'Història de la Ciutat de Girona, declaring itself heir to the preceding bodies: the Associació de Treballadors de Museus de Catalunya (created in Barcelona on 29 September 1982), the Assemblea de Museus, the group of museologists of the Col·legi de Doctors i Llicenciats en Lletres i en Ciències de Catalunya, and the Associació de Museòlegs de les Comarques de Girona (created in Olot on 7 July 1989). The latter joined the AMC as its Territorial Section for the Girona counties. The economic funds and documentary heritage of the predecessor associations were transferred to the AMC upon their dissolution. The new association emerged as a renewal of a previous body that had lost strength, with the will to reinforce the distinctive professional profile of the museologist and to defend professional qualifications against tendencies to subordinate museum policy to economic profitability and visitor numbers as the main measure of institutional quality. Over the following decades the AMC developed its core activities: publishing the journal Mnemòsine, launched in 2004 as the only museology journal in Catalan, which appeared in eight print issues before moving to a digital version in 2019; producing the Manuals de Museologia, a practical technical series; organising courses, seminars, workshops and technical visits; and awarding the Premis de Museologia. By 2013 the association had more than 500 active members. Its presidencies have included Joan Mayné, Carles Marfà, Carme Clusellas i Pagès, Olga López Miguel (2015–2019) and Joan Vicens Tarré (since 2019). The AMC continues to hold conferences and publish new manuals, maintaining its role as a reference body for museum professionals in Catalonia.

• First meeting of the Assemblea de Museus at the Col·legi Oficial de Funcionaris de l'Administració Local de la Província de Barcelona.

• Constitution of the Assemblea de Treballadors de Museus de Catalunya (ATMC).

• Creation of the Associació de Treballadors de Museus de Catalunya in Barcelona.

• Legalisation of the assembly movement with the constitution of an association.

• Creation of the Associació de Museòlegs de les Comarques de Girona in Olot.

• Constitution of the Associació de Museòlegs de Catalunya at the Museu d'Història de la Ciutat de Girona.

• Launch of the journal Mnemòsine, the only museology journal in Catalan.

• The association has more than 500 active members.

• Olga López Miguel begins her presidency (until 2019).

• Mnemòsine moves to a digital version, abandoning print; Joan Vicens Tarré becomes president.

Non-profit professional association representing and supporting museum and heritage professionals in Catalonia.

• Mnemòsine journal

  The only museology journal written in Catalan, launched in 2004; eight print issues were published before moving to digital-only in 2019.

• Manuals de Museologia

  A collection of technical and practical books for museum professionals. Published titles include La il·luminació als museus; Moviment d'obres d'art: préstecs, manipulació, conservació i exhibició; and Museus i propietat Intel·lectual.

• Premis de Museologia

  Awards granted to professionals in the sector or to particularly relevant museographic experiences.

• Continuing education

  Courses, seminars, workshops and technical visits for museum professionals.

1. 1Associació de Professionals de la Museologia de Catalunya – official websitemuseologia.cat
2. 2Associació de Museòlegs de Catalunya – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Associació de Professionals de la Museologia de Catalunya – Viquipèdiaca.wikipedia.org