METHODOLOGICAL STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPING A THEATRICALIZED TOUR

Abstract

Science communication in science museums requires innovative mediation strategies to bring knowledge closer to the public. This study presents a methodological proposal for the design, staging, and execution of dramatized tours in museum spaces, using the Chemical Laboratory of the National Museum of Natural History and Science (MUHNAC) in Lisbon as a case study. The research is grounded in the historical figure of Professor Júlio Máximo de Oliveira Pimentel (Viscount of Vila Maior) and 19th-century material culture. The methodological approach—applied and qualitative in nature—integrates archival research, a literature review, and a visual semiotic analysis of the space based on Pietroforte (2011). The operational process was structured into four main phases: analysis of the visual setting, curation and selection of collection objects, definition of the central theme, and development of the dramatic script—the latter being broken down into eight methodical steps. The results demonstrate that this didactic-theatrical transposition transforms the static collection into an active mediator of memories and knowledge, balancing scientific rigor with aesthetic and emotional appeal. The study concludes that systematizing this step-by-step process provides a replicable toolkit for educators and museum professionals, fostering the democratization of knowledge and critical visitor engagement.