The Women’s Football Collection at Grêmio Museum – Hermínio Bittencourt (Porto Alegre, RS): When Musealization Provides Collaborative Experiences

Abstract

In Brazil, soccer is not only a sporting practice but also a sociocultural phenomenon. Since the first half of the 20th century, a significant num­ber of clubs have had trophy rooms, memorials, and museums dedi­cated to presenting celebratory narratives, primarily focused on men’s soccer. However, the formation of club collections and archives has not included a range of perspectives on the clubs and their athletes, render­ing women’s participation invisible. In this context, the article presents the musealization processes applied to the women’s soccer collection at the Grêmio Museum – Hermínio Bittencourt, located in Porto Alegre (RS), through a multidisciplinary effort that fostered new collaborative dynamics between the club and female athletes, former athletes, fans, and researchers associated with the institution, mediated by the mu­seum. As a result, this collaborative process has contributed to raising awareness and highlighting the museum’s potential as a space and source for research, dialogue, and social engagement.