The hospital's memory
Difficult heritage.
The Museu da Loucura, the «Museum of Madness», in Barbacena, Minas Gerais, occupies one of the historic buildings of the former Colônia psychiatric hospital. It shows original objects from the asylum and traces a timeline of the movement against closed psychiatric institutions in Brazil. Opened on 16 August 1996, it was the first museum in Brazil on this subject, aiming to recover the memory of psychiatric care in the state and to encourage a demystifying look at madness. It is an example of what is called «difficult heritage», places that keep painful memories so that people can learn from them. The visit combines the hospital's objects with old photographs of the institution, creating a space for reflection on the site's past and on the people connected with it. Entry is free, and the museum receives about twenty thousand visitors a year. It is a moving visit, best planned calmly as part of a trip to nearby Tiradentes and São João del-Rei.
Difficult heritage.
Care reform movement.
A day trip.
Former hospital building, Barbacena, Minas Gerais
The subject is painful, so it suits adults and teenagers with some preparation.