The city of São Miguel das Missões in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul possesses a series of architectural ruins of one of the Jesuit-Guaraní settlements founded in the region in the 17^th and 18^th centuries. The ruins of São Miguel were officially declared as National Heritage in 1938, and were consecrated as World Heritage in 1983 by UNESCO. In 1978 the show Som e Luz (Sound and Light) was created on the site of the ruins. The show tells a version of the history of the Jesuit mission by illuminating the ruins with a light show and accompanying narration interpreted by Brazilian actors. In analyzing the content of the show, presented every evening at the historic site, it is evident that it has become a tool to transmit a memory that is intended to be collective. The show, which was a product of efforts to foment tourism in the area, also became a regional reference as regards heritage and identity.