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| Dirección de Bibliotecas, Archivos y Museos (Chile) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Dirección de Bibliotecas, Archivos y Museos |
| Native name | Dirección de Bibliotecas, Archivos y Museos |
| Formed | 1929 |
| Headquarters | Santiago, Chile |
| Parent agency | Ministerio de las Culturas, las Artes y el Patrimonio |
Dirección de Bibliotecas, Archivos y Museos (Chile) is a Chilean state agency responsible for the administration of national libraries, archives, and museums. It has overseen institutions such as the Biblioteca Nacional de Chile, the Archivo Nacional de Chile, and the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes while interacting with ministries like the Ministerio de Educación (Chile) and the Ministerio de las Culturas, las Artes y el Patrimonio. The agency's work intersects with organizations including the UNESCO, the International Council of Museums, and the Consejo de Monumentos Nacionales.
The agency traces its origins to institutional reforms during the presidency of Carlos Ibáñez del Campo and the cultural policies of the Presidency of Arturo Alessandri Palma, evolving through the administrations of Pedro Aguirre Cerda and Gabriel González Videla. It consolidated roles previously exercised by the Biblioteca Nacional de Chile and the Archivo Histórico Nacional (Chile) and was formally reorganized amid mid-20th century debates influenced by figures like Joaquín Edwards Bello and collectors tied to the Museo Histórico Nacional (Chile). During the Chilean coup d'état, 1973 and the Military dictatorship of Chile (1973–1990), the agency navigated politicized cultural directives linked to agencies such as the Dirección de Bibliotecas, Archivos y Museos (DBAM) predecessors and later adapted to democratic reforms under presidents including Patricio Aylwin and Ricardo Lagos. Structural changes culminated with the creation of the Ministerio de las Culturas, las Artes y el Patrimonio in the 21st century, affecting relations with institutions like the Corporación Cultural de La Serena and regional museums in Valparaíso and Antofagasta.
The agency coordinates a network that includes the Biblioteca Nacional de Chile, the Archivo Nacional Histórico de Chile, the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, the Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos, and municipal partners such as the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural (Chile). It operates regional directorates interacting with municipal entities in Santiago, Concepción, Temuco, and Valdivia as well as specialist units modeled after international counterparts like the Library of Congress, the National Archives (United Kingdom), and the Smithsonian Institution. Leadership appointments have involved figures associated with cultural policy in cabinets of Michelle Bachelet and Sebastián Piñera, and programming partnerships have linked the agency to foundations such as the Fundación Andes and universities like the Universidad de Chile and the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
The agency's mandate covers preservation tasks akin to those at the Bibliothèque nationale de France and regulatory oversight resembling the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (Mexico), including conservation of manuscripts, curation of museum collections, and archival custody of records from administrations like La Moneda Palace and ministries such as the Ministerio del Interior (Chile). It sets standards comparable to those promulgated by the International Council on Archives and develops public programs in collaboration with cultural festivals like the Festival Internacional de la Canción de Viña del Mar and institutions such as the Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional de Chile.
Key institutions under its aegis include the Biblioteca Nacional de Chile, the Archivo Nacional de Chile, the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo (MAC, Chile), and the Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos. Programs have included digitization initiatives like those inspired by the Europeana and the Digital Public Library of America, traveling exhibitions modeled on the British Museum loan programs, and heritage education partnerships with the UNICEF and the Comisión Chilena de Derechos Humanos. Collaborative projects have connected the agency with international cultural events such as the Venice Biennale and the Frankfurt Book Fair.
Collections encompass rare books linked to figures like Diego Barros Arana, archival holdings related to Bernardo O'Higgins and documents from the Independence of Chile, ethnographic objects comparable to holdings at the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino, and fine art by artists such as Roberto Matta, Camilo Mori, and Pedro Lira. Conservation methods reference standards promoted by the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property and have involved collaboration with restoration laboratories at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes and academic departments at the Universidad de Santiago de Chile.
Funding streams derive from national budgets approved by the Chilean National Congress, program grants from entities like the Corporación de Fomento de la Producción and international support from the UNESCO and bilateral cultural agreements with countries such as Spain and France. Legal authority rests on statutes and decrees influenced by legislative periods under presidents including Eduardo Frei Montalva and is integrated with regulatory frameworks administered by the Consejo de Monumentos Nacionales and the Ministerio de Bienes Nacionales.
The agency has faced criticism over collection stewardship controversies similar to disputes at the British Museum and debates on restitution akin to cases involving the Benin Bronzes, disputes over the management of the Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos collections, and controversies regarding budget allocation during administrations of Sebastián Piñera and Michelle Bachelet. Critiques from academics at the Universidad Diego Portales and cultural commentators associated with publications like El Mercurio have focused on decentralization, transparency, and the prioritization of digitization versus physical conservation, echoing international debates involving the International Council of Museums and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions.
Category:Cultural organizations based in Chile Category:Libraries in Chile Category:Museums in Chile