[Exhibit] Italy ‘to commercialise’ national treasures
After McDonalds opened a branch at the Louvre in Paris, Italy’s director of Museums - a former McDonalds director - is aiming to capitalise on the commercial potential of the country’s cash-strapped monuments and museums.
Mario Resca, who took up the five-year position as general director of museums last year, has announced a master plan aimed at boosting visitor numbers and revenue. While cultural attractions lack funds - the government has announced cuts of €850m in the Cultural Heritage Ministry’s spending budget over the next three years - not one of Italy’s museums features in the world’s top ten most visited (the Vatican is in the top ten but lies outside Italian territory). Resca’s aims are two-fold, targeting both quality of service and changes in funding.
“I see visitors as customers, clients, he told The Daily Telegraph. When you come to one of my museums, you are a guest and your needs should be satisfied. I want double-digit growth in visitor numbers,” he said, citing clearer explanations of exhibits, better services, including cafes, and more cheerful staff.
He wants to make flagship attractions such as the Colosseum available to companies for private events instead of relying on government funding. “Until now the revenue from ticket sales went into a big central government pot instead of to the Cultural Heritage Ministry,” he said. “Museums had no control over their budgets. If a light bulb broke, they’d have to apply for funds to buy a new one. It was totally devoid of common sense”, he said.
Resca also spoke admirably of the example set by the French in their marketing of the Louvre: “You go to the Louvre and you find Mona Lisa T-shirts, Mona Lisa fridge magnets, Mona Lisa spoons. And the Mona Lisa is Italian! The French do marketing much better than us”.
Resca’s appointment in 2008 prompted a backlash from academics with a petition against the former McDonald’s chief signed by some 1,000 curators and art experts from around the world.
Rome is currently calling for emergency international sponsorship to raise over €35m needed to restore its ruined temples, palaces and other ancient sites including the Colosseum.
source:
http://www.theromanforum.com/?p=5387
this is the stupidest idea of all time! government has simply to give more funds to cultural goods.
Just in Italy, 98% of museums are owned by privateers. Result? buildings collapses and nobody finds the money to restore them. whatta lol
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Originally Posted by davide.cool
