Beyond its walls, MUMASK regularly conducts field missions around the world. These missions help to deepen and update our knowledge of masked traditions, in direct contact with the communities that perpetuate them.
While the acquisition of new pieces for the collections may be one of the aims, it is not the only one. The very essence of these missions is based on an ethnographic approach: participant observation, interviews with local players, field surveys, photo and video recordings, when conditions allow and with respect for cultural contexts.
All the data and documents collected not only feed into scientific research but also enable us to offer the public exhibitions that are increasingly contextualised and respectful of the masked practices they present. This fieldwork reinforces MUMASK's role as a benchmark institution in the study and promotion of intangible heritage.
