Fan-led virtual museum turns Athletico's history into immersive experience | OneFootball

The more than century-long history of Athletico Paranaense will gain a new space for preservation, memory, and interaction. The Virtual Museum of Athletico History, an initiative by Associação Nosso Atlético, made up of red-and-black members and supporters, will be an immersive virtual experience in which visitors can move through different environments, explore spaces dedicated to the club’s history, and interact with part of the collection.

The project will bring together rare photographs, historical documents, objects, and records that help tell the story of Athletico and its relationship with the city and the state. More than simply viewing content on web pages, supporters will be able to virtually navigate the museum and discover different environments and elements of the collection, including three-dimensional reproductions of items such as jerseys and trophies.

Scheduled to launch on October 15, at an event at the Curitiba Memorial Cultural Center, the project will include the presence of association members, figures connected to Athletico’s history, and former athletes. The initiative is independent of the club’s management and was conceived by supporters seeking to expand access to Athletico’s memory and create a space for fans to gather and participate.

One of those responsible for the project is physician Murilo César Santos, who worked at Athletico between 1993 and 2004. According to him, the creation of the virtual museum meets a long-standing demand from supporters for the club’s history to be properly valued and, at the same time, opens new possibilities for Athletico fans themselves to take part in building this heritage.

“Athletico, like all the great teams in the world, has to have its own museum. When we started gathering this material, we realized the scale of what was scattered across private collections and in the memory of many Athletico supporters. Now we will have a virtual museum where all Athletico fans can interact and collaborate,” Murilo highlights.

One of the museum collection’s main foundations will be the material gathered by Professor Heriberto Ivan Machado, one of the leading researchers of football in Paraná and the author of several books on the history of Athletico and sport in the state.

Among photographs, documents, and other records, the project will bring together materials that help recover different moments in the club’s journey, as well as items that are part of the supporters’ emotional memory. The idea is for this content to be explored dynamically within the museum’s virtual environments.

In addition to the historical material already cataloged, the project will have a collaborative character. Supporters will be able to directly take part in building the museum by sending photographs, documents, and personal accounts related to Athletico, which may become part of the space after review by the project’s curatorial team.

“We want the museum to be a living organism. A supporter who has a photograph stored at home, a ticket, or a family story related to Athletico will be able to help expand this collection. Each contribution can reveal a new chapter and ensure that the club’s memory continues to be built by the very people who helped write this history,” Murilo explains.

The initiative seeks to bring supporters closer to Athletico’s history

The initiative is part of the work of Associação Nosso Atlético, which brings together red-and-black members and supporters and seeks to contribute to strengthening the Athletico community. In addition to valuing and preserving the club’s history, the association works to defend the interests of members and supporters, takes part in discussions about the present and future of Athletico, and develops initiatives aimed at bringing fans closer together and expanding their participation and voice in matters related to the club.

In this context, the Virtual Museum of Athletico History aims to be more than a reference space. The proposal is to create a virtual meeting point between different generations of Athletico supporters, providing an interactive experience of contact with the club’s history while also keeping the space open to new contributions from fans.

The idea is for the museum to continue growing and being updated through the participation of Athletico supporters themselves, preserving records, stories, and objects that help tell not only Athletico’s sporting journey, but also the relationship built between the club, its supporters, and society over more than a century.

About Nosso Atlético

Associação Nosso Atlético is an initiative formed by Athletico Paranaense members and supporters dedicated to valuing, preserving, and promoting the club’s history and identity. Independently from Athletico’s management, the association develops projects focused on red-and-black memory, bringing together supporters and researchers in the creation of initiatives that connect new generations with Athletico’s historical heritage.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.