MUVIT, the Virtual Museum of Italian Immigration in Minas Gerais, is now online. The platform brings together documents, images, and videos that chronicle 150 years of Italian presence in the state.
Created to preserve and disseminate the memory of immigration, the digital museum is an initiative of the Ponte Entre Culturas – MG association, in partnership with the Belo Horizonte Committees and support from the Ministry of Culture.
The collection is available free of charge on the official MUVIT website. The aim is to facilitate access to historical material and promote the involvement of descendant communities.
Memory Tent and Family Gallery
Among the museum's highlights is the Memory Tent, a section dedicated to video testimonies from descendants of Italians. The stories document family experiences, preserved customs, and the influence of Italian culture on daily life.
Another relevant space is the Photo Gallery, which brings together historical images of families that settled in different regions of Minas Gerais, such as Juiz de Fora, Belo Horizonte, Caxambu, Ouro Fino, among others.
The material was organized by a multidisciplinary team, with curation that prioritizes original documents, personal records and visual sources little known to the public.
Collaborative and educational project
In addition to the digital exhibition already available, the museum plans to continually expand its collection. The next stage of the project consists of a participatory inventory, which will invite Italian-Brazilian families to submit documents, photos, and stories.
The platform also aims to function as a heritage research and education tool, aimed at students, researchers, and those interested in the history of immigration in Brazil.
The project has institutional support from Consulate General of Italy in Belo Horizonte, the General Council of Italians Abroad, and the National Museum of Italian Emigration (MEI). Organizations such as the Italian Chamber of Commerce of Minas Gerais, Casa Itália, Acibra, and Circolo Italiano are also partners in the initiative.
The virtual museum website can be accessed here: muvitmg.org.br
