Atlético took another step toward bringing the Club’s history even closer to the culture and life of Belo Horizonte. Last Saturday (8), during a meeting with the Deliberative Council at Labareda, a Letter of Intent was signed between the Centro Atleticano de Memória and Museu do Galo and the Clóvis Salgado Foundation, with the goal of integrating the cultural facility at the Lourdes headquarters into Circuito Liberdade.
The documentation for the integration of the Centro Atleticano de Memória into Circuito Liberdade is already under review by the Clóvis Salgado Foundation. The initiative represents another stage of a project that seeks to preserve, enhance, and expand access to Atlético’s history, connecting the Club’s memory to Belo Horizonte’s cultural, tourist, educational, and creative network.
Managed by the Clóvis Salgado Foundation, Circuito Liberdade currently brings together 71 integrated venues within the perimeter of Avenida do Contorno. The network includes spaces from different areas of culture and also has a historical connection with Atlético, since Parque Municipal, where the Club was founded, and Minascentro, the site of the former Antônio Carlos Stadium, are part of the circuit.
For the president of the Clóvis Salgado Foundation, Yuri Mello Mesquita, the Lourdes headquarters has a significance that goes beyond the boundaries of the Club and is part of Belo Horizonte’s very formation.
“The Lourdes headquarters has always been a place of identity in Belo Horizonte. Right next to it is Antônio Carlos. We saw the Lourdes neighborhood grow. When Atlético arrived in Lourdes, Lourdes was not all that we imagine it to be today. So Atlético had a very important role for the city, in developing a region. It is a very important heritage asset for all the men and women of Minas Gerais.”
Yuri also highlighted the path of the Centro Atleticano de Memória, which has been working for 20 years to preserve and promote the Club’s history, and emphasized the potential of its integration into Circuito Liberdade.
“The Centro Atleticano de Memória is establishing itself as one of the main cultural venues dedicated to the memory of sport and leisure by joining Circuito Liberdade. The possibility of itineraries, the possibility of raising funds, and of consolidating this project, which is already 20 years old, is very important.”
According to the president of the Clóvis Salgado Foundation, the initiative can also serve as a reference for other clubs interested in preserving and sharing their history.
“On top of everything, Atlético, as always, will be a benchmark for other clubs to follow the same path.”
Headquarters as an extension of the Museum
During the presentation to the council members, Atlético president Sérgio Coelho detailed part of the project that will be developed at the Lourdes headquarters. The space will be integrated into the Museu do Galo project and will serve as one of the branches of the facility dedicated to preserving Atlético’s memory.
The proposal provides for a new layout for the area where the trophies are currently displayed, restoring the headquarters’ historic entrance. The space will feature pieces from the Club’s collection and a structure for visitors, with the route connected to the Galo store.
“The headquarters will be an extension of the museum. There will be tours, and the person goes downstairs and ends up right inside the Galo store,” explained Sérgio Coelho.
The idea is also to turn the Lourdes headquarters into a permanent meeting place between supporters, visitors, and figures from the Club’s history. The project provides for operation seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with the daily presence of four former athletes, who will be able to share their stories and experiences with visitors.
In addition to promoting Atlético’s memory, the initiative seeks to contribute to the recognition of the Club’s former players, who will take part in the project through resources from incentive-backed projects.
Museu do Galo
The meeting also presented updates on the Museu do Galo project, which will be built at Arena MRV. The facility is in the development phase of the projects required for its implementation, involving different areas and requiring the alignment of architectural, fire prevention and firefighting, museology, and other projects.
The work also includes the institutional steps needed to move the project forward and begin construction.
The proposal is for Museu do Galo to be a space dedicated to preserving, promoting, and sharing the Club’s history, bringing together collections, memory, and experiences for supporters and visitors.
Sustainability
Sustainability is another strategic axis of the Museu do Galo project. The topic was presented to the council members by Felipe Bittencourt, vice president of Museu do Galo, co-founder and CEO of WayCarbon, a company specializing in sustainability and climate change.
The proposal is to incorporate sustainability practices and concepts into the development and operation of the future facility, expanding the project’s scope beyond historical and cultural preservation.
The Museum project also includes institutional ties with organizations in the museum sector, such as the International Council of Museums (ICOM) and the Brazilian Institute of Museums (Ibram).
Next step
The signing of the Letter of Intent represents an important step toward integrating the Lourdes headquarters into Circuito Liberdade. The next step is already scheduled for November, when a special event will be held to officially mark the space’s entry into Belo Horizonte’s cultural network.
“In November, we will hold a special event to officially mark the entry of the Lourdes headquarters into Circuito Liberdade, bringing together Atlético and different members of this network. It is another step toward increasingly integrating Atlético’s memory, history, culture, and life with Belo Horizonte,” said Emerson Maurilio, president of the Centro Atleticano de Memória and Museu do Galo.
The initiative reinforces Atlético’s commitment to preserving and sharing its history and broadens the connection between the Club’s memory, Belo Horizonte’s heritage, and one of Minas Gerais’ main cultural networks.
For Atlético, the integration also represents the continuation of two decades of work by the Centro Atleticano de Memória, now with new possibilities for connecting with the city, developing cultural and educational initiatives, and promoting Atlético’s history.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.