The Regional Secretary for Education and Culture stated in Santa Cruz that the investment made by the Government of the Azores in the reopening of Flores Museum puts this island "at the forefront of regional museology."
Avelino Meneses spoke Tuesday at the opening of the new organisation of Flores museum, currently installed at São Boaventura Convent. He added that the investment of 325 thousand Euros will attract "more audiences" within the archipelago and outside it.
"After a long time and countless efforts, we are pleased to reopen the Flores Museum. Together with Boqueirão Factory, recently turned into a museum, and several collections and pieces of relevant interest owned by municipalities, churches or private entities, the museum represents the cultural enrichment hub for this community as a whole and for each of its citizens," stressed Avelino Meneses.
In his speech, the Regional Secretary pointed out that, with regard to museums, the Government's policies are directed to the "creation of a museum unit on each island."
This programme "is yet to be concluded" given "the absence of a structure on Corvo, which will be solved with the development of the Ecomuseum project, and the lack of "adequate facilities" on São Jorge and Santa Maria, whose processes are "under construction."
Nevertheless, the Regional Secretary for Education and Culture stressed the "refreshing" of several museographic plans so that Azorean museums "may increasingly respond to the public expectations" and the recent changes to operating hours.
Avelino Meneses also said the Government intends to "congregate in a single structure" regional and island museums, archaeological parks, underwater areas of interest and "small museum unit, whether be beneficiaries of institutional support or not."
Our goal is to promote "network activity in light of the international guidelines established since the end of the 20th century" in a perspective of "respect for the idiosyncrasy of each institution, while encouraging cooperation among all," said the government official.
"Before Autonomy, scientific and museum research had been focused on the islands of Terceira and São Miguel for decades; both benefited from significant projection," said the government official. He added that "in the autonomic era, the focus on decentralisation forces also requires to study and recognition of peripheral islands, because all of them demonstrate historical performances of extreme importance."
The intervention in Flores Museum included the architectural and electricity grid designs, the conservation and restoration of the chapel ceiling and the side altarpieces, and the museography project; the latter covers the two floors of S. Boaventura Convent, the main chapel and the church nave.