 The creation of the Institute was led by Luís Ribeiro and José Agostinho, both public educators with vocations in ethnography, history and natural sciences, and who were influenced by the "Instituto de Coimbra", as well as other Portuguese and international societies.From this centre, a small academy developed, attracting many members, both locally and by correspondence, in addition to many Portuguese honorary members.In 1985, its constitution was reformulated in order to adapt the association to the new reality, that abandoned the district system in favor of the autonomy model in the Azores.