CASA DE CULTURA HELOÍSA ALBERTO TORRES: HISTORY PRESERVATION AND CULTURAL DIFFUSION

The Casa de Cultura Heloísa Alberto Torres in Itaboraí stands out as a cultural and historical center of great importance for the region. With a bibliographic collection of 9,728 items, including 3,635 books and 6,093 periodicals, theses and other documents, the space reflects the diversity of knowledge and the rich trajectory of Heloísa Alberto Torres and her family. The collection covers topics such as social sciences, with emphasis on anthropology; sociology and ethnology, as well as historical books by Heloísa's father, Alberto de Seixas Martins Torres, and legal works by her grandfather, Manuel Martins Torres. It also includes titles in several languages, such as Tupi, and copies autographed by great names in literature.

Since 2021, Casa de Cultura has been promoting an unprecedented work of classifying its collection in the BibLivre system, which allows organization by author, title, theme, language and year of publication. Before this project, the 35 years of operation of the Casa had not included such an initiative. The work included cleaning and assessing the condition of the items. The local registration and initial cataloging stage took almost three years to complete, covering all books and some periodicals. To date, 1,541 books have been entered into the system, with 8,187 items remaining to be completed.

The federal heritage listing of the House is a central expectation for the team and the community. In addition to reinforcing the relevance of the historical heritage, the measure will prevent changes to the building's function and will attract greater interest from researchers and tourists. Preservation is currently guaranteed by a dedicated team and emergency actions by the City Hall, with renovations carried out as necessary. Removable accessibility ramps were recently added to ensure adequate conditions for visiting.

The Technical Cooperation Agreement between IPHAN and the City Hall of Itaboraí ensures the preservation and continuity of the House's cultural and research activities. The digitization of the collection is one of the main initiatives underway, aiming to increase access to the legacy of Heloísa Alberto Torres and her family. This will make it possible to make rare and fragile works available, in addition to creating a virtual tour with explanations about the items on display.

CCHAT manager Alan Mota highlighted the importance of digitizing the collection and renewing the Technical Cooperation Agreement to ensure that the Casa de Cultura can function better.

“The Casa de Cultura Heloísa Alberto Torres is much more than a historical heritage site; it is a symbol of the cultural and intellectual wealth of our city. Our daily work is dedicated to preserving this legacy and making it accessible to as many people as possible, valuing the memory of Heloísa Alberto Torres and her contribution to the social sciences. We are committed to modernizing the management of the collection, expanding access and enabling researchers and visitors to discover the importance of this space. Digitizing the collection and renewing the Technical Cooperation Agreement are fundamental steps to ensuring that the Casa de Cultura continues to be a dynamic and relevant cultural hub for our region and for Brazil,” said the manager.

The creation of an interactive blog and website reinforces the role of the Casa as a cultural and historical reference. The platform will act as an initial point of contact, a place for preliminary research, and a tool for disseminating activities such as exhibitions, lectures, soirees, and workshops. This initiative is integrated with social networks such as Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, expanding the reach of cultural activities.

The Heloísa Alberto Torres Cultural Center continues to fulfill its role of preserving history, fostering culture, and inspiring new generations.

Service:

For more information or to schedule guided tours, interested parties can use the following channels:

WhatsApp: (21) 98958-8727

Phone: (21) 2635-4291

E-mail: casaheloisaalbertotorres@itaborai.rj.gov.br

Instagram and Facebook: @casadeculturaitaborai

YouTube: Casa de Cultura Heloísa Alberto Torres