# Museu Casa do Pontal

> folk art museum in Rio de Janeiro

**Wikidata**: [Q10333433](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q10333433)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/museu-casa-do-pontal

## Summary
Museu Casa do Pontal is a premier folk art museum located in the Recreio dos Bandeirantes neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Established in the 1990s, the institution is dedicated to the exhibition and preservation of Brazilian cultural heritage, housing a significant collection of approximately 8,000 sculptures.

## Key Facts
- **Instance Of:** Art museum, museum, and house.
- **Location:** Estrada do Pontal, n° 3295 - Recreio dos Bandeirantes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- **Coordinates:** Latitude -23.02395, Longitude -43.51019.
- **Inception:** 1992.
- **Official Opening:** 1996.
- **Curator:** Jacques van de Beuque.
- **Collection Size:** 8,000 sculptures.
- **Physical Dimensions:** 1,500 m² dedicated to the art museum; 5,000 m² total geographic area.
- **Heritage Designation:** IRPH Good Class (established via Decreto n° 10.754 on December 12, 1991).
- **Major Award:** Order of Cultural Merit (Brazil), received in 2005.
- **Official Website:** http://www.museucasadopontal.com.br
- **Contact Email:** faleconosco@museucasadopontal.com.br
- **Global Identifiers:** VIAF ID 137109924, LCCN n93900932, IdRef 179854259, Yale LUX ID group/b1ef8d31-f1dd-4fb4-b42d-7f4057c5c920, ipatrimônio ID rio-de-janeiro-casa-do-pontal.

## FAQs

**What is the primary focus of the Museu Casa do Pontal collection?**
The museum specializes in Brazilian folk art, specifically housing a collection of 8,000 sculptures. These works are curated to represent the cultural depth and artistic traditions of the region, managed under the guidance of curator Jacques van de Beuque.

**Where is the museum located and how can it be contacted?**
The facility is situated at Estrada do Pontal, n° 3295, in the Recreio dos Bandeirantes district of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. For official inquiries, the museum maintains the email address faleconosco@museucasadopontal.com.br and a dedicated website.

**What official recognitions and heritage protections does the museum hold?**
The museum is designated as an "IRPH Good Class" heritage site under Decree n° 10.754 of 1991. Additionally, it was honored with the Brazilian Order of Cultural Merit in 2005 for its contributions to the nation's cultural landscape.

**How is the museum classified in terms of its physical space?**
It is categorized as both an art museum and a house, occupying a 5,000 m² geographic site. Within this area, 1,500 m² is specifically utilized as a building or space for the exhibition of art.

## Why It Matters
Museu Casa do Pontal serves as a critical infrastructure for the preservation of Brazilian folk art within the country's largest city, Rio de Janeiro. By housing 8,000 sculptures, it acts as a physical interface between the public and the diverse cultural history of Brazil, a nation known for its rich ethnic composition and 190 indigenous languages. As an "art museum" (a subclass of museum building and museum of culture), it provides the essential spatial context required to separate the aesthetic experience of folk art from other environments. Its recognition through the Order of Cultural Merit and its heritage designation underscores its role in safeguarding the "works of art" that constitute Brazil's cultural identity.

## Notable For
- **Extensive Sculpture Collection:** Contains 8,000 individual sculptures, making it a significant repository for folk art.
- **Dual Typology:** Recognized as both a "museum" and a "house," blending residential architectural forms with institutional exhibition spaces.
- **National Recognition:** Recipient of the 2005 Order of Cultural Merit, one of Brazil's highest cultural honors.
- **Heritage Status:** Protected under the IRPH Good Class designation (Decreto n° 10.754), ensuring the preservation of the site.
- **Curatorial Leadership:** Developed under the vision of Jacques van de Beuque.
- **Digital Presence:** Tracked across major global authority files including the Library of Congress (LCCN), VIAF, and Yale LUX.

## Body

### History and Foundation
The Museu Casa do Pontal began its institutional journey in 1992. Following its inception, the museum underwent a period of development leading to its official public opening in 1996. The museum was curated by Jacques van de Beuque, whose work focused on the assembly and presentation of Brazilian folk art. In 2005, the institution's impact on Brazilian society was formally recognized when it received the Order of Cultural Merit.

### Architecture and Site Specifications
The museum is located in Recreio dos Bandeirantes, Rio de Janeiro, at the address Estrada do Pontal, n° 3295. The site is characterized by its dual nature as both a museum building and a house. 
- **Exhibition Space:** The art museum portion of the facility covers 1,500 square meters.
- **Total Site:** The entire geographic location spans 5,000 square meters.
- **Geographic Context:** Situated in Brazil, the largest country in South America, the museum benefits from the cultural diversity of a nation with a population of over 213 million and a history of independence dating back to 1822.

### Collection and Classification
The museum's primary assets are its 8,000 sculptures. In the taxonomy of knowledge bases, the Museu Casa do Pontal is classified as an "art museum," which is strictly defined as a building or space for the exhibition of art, distinct from the administrative institution. It is further categorized as a subclass of "museum of culture" and "museum building." The collection is indexed under the field of "art" and is recognized for containing "works of art" as its primary parts.

### Heritage and Legal Status
The museum holds a specific heritage designation known as "IRPH Good Class." This status was granted via Decree n° 10.754 on December 12, 1991, providing legal protection to the site. It is also featured on the focus list of the Wiki Loves Monuments project in Brazil.

### Institutional and Digital Identity
The Museu Casa do Pontal is well-integrated into international archival and digital systems:
- **Authority Control:** It is identified by VIAF (137109924), IdRef (179854259), and the Library of Congress (n93900932).
- **Digital Mapping:** The site is recorded in OpenStreetMap (Way ID 315689179) and the Google Knowledge Graph (/g/1223wxf2).
- **Academic Presence:** It is listed in the Yale LUX database (group/b1ef8d31-f1dd-4fb4-b42d-7f4057c5c920) and the ipatrimônio database (rio-de-janeiro-casa-do-pontal).
- **Media:** Visual documentation of the museum is maintained in the Wikimedia Commons category "Museu Casa do Pontal."

### Regional Context
Located in Rio de Janeiro, the museum is situated in a city that served as the capital of Brazil until 1960. The museum operates within the broader Brazilian cultural framework, which includes a literacy rate of approximately 93.22% and a rich tradition of music, literature, and visual arts influenced by indigenous, African, and Portuguese heritage.

## References

1. [History - Museu Casa do Pontal](http://www.museucasadopontal.com.br/en/history)
2. [Source](http://www.ipatrimonio.org/rio-de-janeiro-casa-do-pontal)
3. Virtual International Authority File
4. OpenStreetMap