Towards the building of the Ibero-American Museums Observatory [Observatorio Iberoamericano de Museos]: results and reflections on a professional internship in Spain

Abstract

This paper sums up the results of research carried out under a grant awarded to the author by the Spanish Ministry of Culture to participate in a training internship for Latin-American professionals in the field of culture for the implementation the Observatorio Iberoamericano de Museos (Ibero-American Museums Observatory, OIM). A brief description of the OIM as part of the Ibermuseos program is provided. The paper also examines issues associated with public institutions in charge of museums and definitions of museums; while offering an overview of the Latin-American field under tutelage schemes and through the lens of museological management indicators. Lastly, the information analyzed is compared to the situation in México, in particular at the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (National Institute of Anthropology and History, INAH) which conclude that there are similarities between the Mexican and Spanish museological field.