Sangiuliano prepares his reform: he wants to create 17 new autonomous museums. Here are which ones

The face of Italian museums may soon change: culture minister Gennaro Sangiuliano is in fact working on the draft of his reform, which will extend Franceschini’s reforms. In particular, the minister wants to create 17 new autonomous museums, according to the draft Dpcm whose contents were disclosed by the AgenziaCult news agency. The Dpcm would intervene in the regulations of the Ministry of Culture , leading to the creation of 17 autonom ous museums and the transition of three already autonomous museums to the first tier (general executive level, with directors appointed by the minister), from the second tier (non-general executive level, with directors appointed by the director general of museums) in which they are now. The museums that will make this transition are the Accademia Gallery and the Bargello Museums in Florence (which will be merged into a single institution), the Royal Museums in Turin , and the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.

There are currently 44 autonomous museums. With the merger of the Accademia Gallery and Bargello Museum, and the introduction of 17 new institutes, the number would rise to 60. Here are what they are, from north to south: the Royal Residences of Savoy; the National Archaeological Museums of Venice and the Lagoon; the National Museums of Ferrara; the National Museums of Ravenna; the National Archaeological Museum of Florence; the Florentine Villas and Monumental Residences; the National Museums of Pisa; the National Museums of Lucca; and the Archaeological Parks of the Maremma; the Pantheon and Castel Sant’Angelo; the Museums and Archaeological Parks of Praeneste and Gabii; the Monumental Villas of Tuscia; the National Archaeological Museum of Abruzzo in Chieti; the National Museums of Vomero; the Museums and Archaeological Parks of Capri; the Swabian Castle of Bari; and the Museums and Archaeological Parks of Melfi and Venosa.

All of these museums currently depend on their respective Regional Directorates, except for the National Museums of Ferrara: the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Ferrara is in fact part of the Gallerie Estensi, one of the 44 current autonomous institutes, which would therefore lose a piece (the division of the Galleries and autonomy for the museum located in the Palazzo dei Diamanti in Ferrara has moreover long been hoped for by Undersecretary Vittorio Sgarbi).

However, the contents of the reform had already been briefly anticipated in May by the minister himself, speaking at the Trento Festival: “We will increase from 44 to 60 first-tier museums with some autonomy,” he had said. “The big museums are to become small companies. This will turn some people’s noses up, but these museums must have a management model that must also be somewhat entrepreneurial which does not mean not guaranteeing the historical preservation of the site.” Indeed, doubts are being raised about the ability to self-sustain for several of the museums on the list, some of which have little or very little visitation, and some of which are still struggling mightily due to structural staff shortages. For now, it is all only in draft form: who knows if autonomy will help get the institutes that get it off the ground.

Pictured: the Pinacoteca di Palazzo Mansi in Lucca, which would become part of the new autonomous institute “Musei Nazionali di Lucca”

Sangiuliano prepares his reform: he wants to create 17 new autonomous museums. Here are which ones

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