Matos abstract 2007
A. Gil Matos, Banco de Protugal Museum*Banco de Portugal Museum and its exhibitions*
The Banco de Portugal was founded in 1846 and is the result of the fusion of Banco de Lisboa (1821-1846) and Companhia Confiança Nacional (1844 -1846).
As Banco de Lisboa, the Banco de Portugal was a commercial bank and, simultaneously, a banknote issuer. Since its creation, until 1891, the Banco de Portugal shared with other banks the issuing privilege. Only after this date we can speak about banknote issuing unity in Portugal (in the colonies the banknote issuing was trusted to other banks). This privilege was maintained until the coming in of Portugal as a founding member of Euro area.
During its life, the Banco de Portugal, as a result of its activity, accumulated important archive, library and museum documentation, where the banknote and coin collections play an important role. These three areas that today are represented in three different organizational structures, with a common aggregation coordination, have common goals – memory preservation and users (internal and external) service – and a common activity – the documentation / information /knowledge management.
Naturally these structures interact, when necessary, to improve edition or diffusion projects (such as exhibitions). They also support internal or external researchers, in economic and social history, numismatics or in other knowledge areas.
In this presentation it will be referred the main actions developed recently or being prepared by the Banco de Portugal Museum:
- Exhibitions: Setting up of a museologic branch in Azores, Ponta Delgada, with an exhibition where the money history in this archipelago is presented;
Presentation of “Marcas de Poder: Moedas Visigodas em Território Português”
(Power Marks: Visigotic Coins in the Portuguese Territory), a temporary
exhibition of a set of coins (VI – VIII century) minted by Visigotic Kings. Some
of these coins were lended by public and private institutions from Portugal and
Spain.
- Publications: “Moedas com História” – “Coins with History” is a bilingual presentation of the Banco de Portugal main coin collection. The 1st vol in Portuguese version was already printed is edited; “ Marcas de Poder: Moedas Visigodas em Território Português” is a monography edited in support to the exhibition with the same name;
- Users service – Visits to the exhibitions and cooperation on with internal and external institutions.
The presentation ends with a reference to the preservation and environnement conditions of the collections of Banco de Portugal Museum.
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