The Inca Shoe and Industry Museum has been selected as the second best experience of Axis 1 at the XII Ibero-American Museums Meeting, which will be held in the Dominican Republic. The recognition positions the Inca museum as a reference in participatory museology.
The Inca Shoe and Industry Museum has been distinguished as the second best experience of Axis 1 of the XII Ibero-American Museums Meeting, which will take place from September 14 to 16 in the Dominican Republic. The proposal, presented by director Aina Ferrero, competed with 226 applications from 17 Ibero-American countries.
A model of participatory museology
The communication titled "Small Great Museums: Transforming from the Community, Memory, and Listening. The Case of the Inca Shoe and Industry Museum as a Practical Socio-Museology Experience" has been the key to success. Ferrero explains how the museum has placed people and the community at the centre of its activities in recent years.
According to the director, "this recognition values a way of understanding museums where people are the focus. It is the result of years of shared work with the community, active listening, and the desire to turn the Shoe Museum into a lively, participatory space committed to its environment."
The mayor of Inca, Virgilio Moreno, highlighted that "this recognition is a great satisfaction because it confirms that the work we have promoted in recent years at the Shoe Museum transcends our territory and is valued internationally. It is also a source of pride that the name of Inca is part of an experience considered a reference within the Ibero-American network of museums."
A recognition that comes from afar
This is not the first time the Inca Shoe Museum has received an international award. In 2020, it received the Ibermuseos Award, an accolade that recognises the work of Ibero-American museums in the field of social inclusion and citizen participation. Now, this new recognition consolidates its trajectory and positions it as one of the most innovative cultural facilities in the Ibero-American space.
The councillor for Museums, Andreu Caballero, emphasised that "this is a result that consolidates the Shoe Museum as a vibrant cultural facility, connected with the community and capable of generating knowledge and innovative proposals from proximity."
For the people of Inca, this award is not just an honour, but a chance to attract visitors and project the city as a cultural destination. The museum, which tells the story of the shoe industry in Inca, has become a reference space for the preservation of collective memory.
What does it mean for visitors?
The international recognition could translate into an increase in visits, both from tourists and students and researchers interested in participatory museology. The museum offers guided tours, workshops, and activities for all ages, and now, with this quality seal, its offerings are expected to be even more attractive.
For now, the museum team is already working on new proposals to take advantage of the boost from the award. As Ferrero says, "that this experience is recognised by Ibermuseos is an encouragement to continue working in this direction."
Next September, during the Ibero-American Museums Meeting, Inca will be on the map of the most innovative museum initiatives. And who knows, with a bit of luck, next time the Inca museum might not be second but first.
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