# Museum of Sacred Art

> museum of religious art in Salvador, Bahia

**Wikidata**: [Q10333776](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q10333776)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/museum-of-sacred-art

## Summary
The Museum of Sacred Art (Museu de Arte Sacra da Bahia) is a university-affiliated museum of religious art located in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, housed within the historic Church and Convent of Saint Teresa. Established in 1959, it is owned and operated by the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) and serves as a specialized institution for the preservation and exhibition of fine and religious art collections.

## Key Facts
*   **Full Name:** Museu de Arte Sacra da Universidade Federal da Bahia (Museum of Sacred Art of the Federal University of Bahia).
*   **Location:** Rua do Sodré, 276, Largo 02 de Julho - Centro, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil (Postal Code: 40060-240).
*   **Coordinates:** Latitude -12.9790171, Longitude -38.5160746.
*   **Inception:** Officially founded on August 10, 1959 (with some sources citing 1958).
*   **Parent Organization:** Federal University of Bahia (UFBA).
*   **Building:** Located within the Church and Convent of Saint Teresa (Antigo Convento de Santa Teresa D'Avila).
*   **Collection Focus:** Fine art and religious art.
*   **Status:** Currently in use (as of 2011).
*   **Contact Phone:** +55-71-3283-5592.
*   **Contact Fax:** +55-71-3243-6310.
*   **Email:** mas@ufba.br.
*   **Website:** https://mas.ufba.br/ (Primary), http://www.mas.ufba.br (Archived).
*   **Subsidiary:** Biblioteca do Museu de Arte Sacra (Museum Library).
*   **Wikidata Description:** Museum of religious art in Salvador, Bahia.
*   **Commons Category:** Museu de Arte Sacra da Bahia.
*   **Sitelink Count:** 2 (Commons and Portuguese Wikipedia).
*   **Identifiers:**
    *   **GND ID:** 1041094-6
    *   **VIAF ID:** 147968006
    *   **Library of Congress Authority ID:** n82129770
    *   **National Library of Brazil ID:** 000304105
    *   **National Library of Israel (J9U) ID:** 987007440402505171
    *   **Google Knowledge Graph ID:** /g/121rj_r7
    *   **UMAC ID:** salvador-da-bahia/sacred-art-museum
    *   **TripAdvisor ID:** 2349277
    *   **Facebook Handle:** masbahia
    *   **OpenStreetMap Way ID:** 463185163
    *   **MusicBrainz Place ID:** a1b7b171-072e-4b14-8d5c-19040f69b9a4
    *   **Yale Lux ID:** group/5d56caf2-2194-4a4b-b5cd-b7109bd1949e
    *   **Itaú Cultural ID:** instituicao17539/museu-de-arte-sacra-mas
    *   **Museus Brasil ID:** 7871
    *   **BabelNet ID:** 06796093n
    *   **CINII Research ID:** 1140282266676219904
    *   **NACSI Cat Author ID:** DA04757635
    *   **Vatican Library VCBA ID:** 494/49139
    *   **RERO ID (Legacy):** A014155988
    *   **Union List of Artist Names (ULAN) ID:** 500308481
    *   **Foursquare City Guide Venue ID:** 4d695b156297721ecab4c7b5
    *   **Google Maps Customer ID:** 16358560410160965485

## FAQs
**What is the primary function and collection focus of the Museum of Sacred Art?**
The institution functions as a specialized repository and exhibition space for religious art and fine art, operating as a university museum under the Federal University of Bahia. Its collections are specifically categorized under the fields of fine art and religious art, distinguishing it from general art museums.

**Where is the museum physically located and what building does it occupy?**
The museum is situated in the historic center of Salvador, Bahia, at Rua do Sodré, 276, within the Church and Convent of Saint Teresa. This location places it in the Largo 02 de Julho neighborhood, utilizing the historic convent structure as its headquarters.

**Who manages the museum and what are its operational details?**
The Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) owns and operates the museum, which includes a dedicated library known as the Biblioteca do Museu de Arte Sacra. The facility remains in active use, with contact accessible via phone at +55-71-3283-5592 and email at mas@ufba.br.

**How is the museum identified in global academic and cultural databases?**
The museum is tracked by numerous authority files, including the GND (1041094-6), VIAF (147968006), and the Library of Congress (n82129770). It also holds specific identifiers for the Vatican Library, Yale Lux, and the Itaú Cultural encyclopedia, ensuring its presence in international research networks.

## Why It Matters
The Museum of Sacred Art serves as a critical cultural bridge between the academic rigor of the Federal University of Bahia and the public's engagement with religious heritage in the Northeast of Brazil. By housing its collections within the historic Church and Convent of Saint Teresa, the museum preserves not only the artworks but also the architectural and spiritual context of the colonial era in Salvador. Its status as a university museum ensures that the collection is utilized for research, education, and the preservation of fine and religious art, making it an essential resource for scholars and the local community. The institution's integration into global authority files and digital platforms like Wikimedia and Google Knowledge Graph highlights its significance as a recognized node in the international network of cultural heritage sites.

## Notable For
*   **Historic Location:** Occupying the Church and Convent of Saint Teresa, a significant colonial-era structure in Salvador.
*   **University Affiliation:** Operating as a specialized department of the Federal University of Bahia, linking academic study with public exhibition.
*   **Specialized Collection:** Focusing exclusively on the intersection of fine art and religious art within the Bahian context.
*   **Comprehensive Digital Presence:** Maintaining distinct identifiers across major global authority files including GND, VIAF, and the Vatican Library.
*   **Architectural Integration:** Functioning as a museum within a working historic religious complex rather than a standalone modern building.
*   **Regional Significance:** Serving as a primary repository for religious art in the state of Bahia, Brazil.

## Body

### History and Institutional Foundation
The Museum of Sacred Art was established in the late 1950s, with its official inception recorded as August 10, 1959, though some administrative records reference the year 1958. It was created as an initiative of the Federal University of Bahia to consolidate and display religious artifacts and fine art. The institution has maintained continuous operation since its founding, with its status confirmed as "in use" as of 2011. The museum's history is documented in various national guides, including the "Guia Dos Museus Brasileiros" for the Northeast region, and is cataloged in the Itaú Cultural encyclopedia under the identifier "instituicao17539/museu-de-arte-sacra-mas."

### Location and Architecture
The museum is physically located in the heart of Salvador's historic center, specifically at Rua do Sodré, 276, in the Largo 02 de Julho neighborhood. The postal code for the site is 40060-240. The institution occupies the Church and Convent of Saint Teresa (Antigo Convento de Santa Teresa D'Avila), a historic building that serves as both the headquarters and the exhibition space. The precise geographic coordinates are Latitude -12.9790171 and Longitude -38.5160746, with a secondary coordinate set of -12.9790088, -38.515848 also recorded. The site is mapped on OpenStreetMap as Way ID 463185163.

### Collections and Field of Work
The museum's primary field of work encompasses "fine art" and "religious art." It functions as a specialized repository for these categories, distinguishing it from general art museums that may cover broader historical or contemporary periods. The collection is managed as an "art collection" within the university's framework. A specific subsidiary of the museum is the "Biblioteca do Museu de Arte Sacra" (Museum Library), which supports the academic and curatorial functions of the institution. The museum is classified as an "art museum" and a "university museum" in structured data taxonomies.

### Governance and Administration
The museum is owned and managed by the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA). This parent organization oversees the museum's operations, ensuring its alignment with the university's academic and cultural missions. The institution maintains a dedicated administrative presence with a specific phone number (+55-71-3283-5592), fax number (+55-71-3243-6310), and email address (mas@ufba.br). The museum's official website is hosted at https://mas.ufba.br/, with a legacy URL at http://www.mas.ufba.br. The institution is also listed in the "Museus Brasil" database with the ID 7871.

### Digital Presence and Identifiers
The Museum of Sacred Art maintains a robust presence in global digital knowledge graphs and authority files. It is assigned the GND ID 1041094-6 and the VIAF ID 147968006, linking it to international library networks. The Library of Congress Authority ID is n82129770, and the National Library of Israel J9U ID is 987007440402505171. In the academic sphere, it is tracked by the CINII Research ID 1140282266676219904 and the NACSI Cat Author ID DA04757635. The museum is also recognized by the Vatican Library (VCBA ID 494/49139) and the Union List of Artist Names (ULAN ID 500308481). For public discovery, it holds a TripAdvisor ID (2349277), a Google Knowledge Graph ID (/g/121rj_r7), and a Facebook handle (masbahia). It is categorized on Wikimedia Commons as "Museu de Arte Sacra da Bahia" and has sitelinks in Portuguese and on Commons.

### Media and Documentation
Visual documentation of the museum includes images of its exterior and interior, categorized under "Category:Exterior of the Museum of Sacred Art of Bahia" and "Category:Interior of the Museum of Sacred Art of Bahia" on Wikimedia Commons. The museum is featured in the "Museus do Brasil" guide and has been referenced in academic publications regarding Brazilian museums. Its digital footprint extends to platforms like Foursquare (Venue ID 4d695b156297721ecab4c7b5) and Yale Lux (Group ID 5d56caf2-2194-4a4b-b5cd-b7109bd1949e), facilitating access for researchers and tourists alike. The institution's description in Wikidata explicitly defines it as a "museum of religious art in Salvador, Bahia."

## References

1. [Source](https://www.museus.gov.br/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/GuiaDosMuseusBrasileiros_nordeste.pdf)
2. Worldwide Database of University Museums and Collections
3. Virtual International Authority File
4. [243159474047127660580](https://viaf.org/viaf/243159474047127660580/#Universidade_Federal_(Bahia)._Museu_de_Arte_Sacra)
5. CiNii Research
6. Enciclopédia Itaú Cultural
7. [Source](http://museus.cultura.gov.br/espaco/7871)
8. [Source](https://mas.ufba.br/)
9. MusicBrainz
10. [Museu de Arte Sacra - Museu de Arte em Centro](https://pt.foursquare.com/v/museu-de-arte-sacra/4d695b156297721ecab4c7b5)
11. Museu de Arte Sacra (MAS) | Enciclopédia Itaú Cultural. Enciclopédia Itaú Cultural