O papel do associativismo na construção de uma política democrática de museus.

The different dynamics of archeology, the architectural heritage and museums in the "before" and "after" April 1974 are referred. Regarding museums, the situation of professional and civic associations is observed, through the analysis of the creation process and the subsequent development of the Portuguese Association of Museology (APOM) and the Portuguese National Committee of the International Council of Museums (CNP of ICOM or ICOM Portugal). It is recognized a trail conducting from the elitism and governmentalisation, connected to the period of the Dictatorship, to the socio-professional opening and community involvement, related to Democracy. It is stayed the thesis that popular action in general, and the associative movement in particular, constitutes a key pillar of the Portuguese Constitutional Regime in the particular configuration emerging from the Revolution of 1974. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]