Musei, Maresca (Icom): “Digital perspective also requires a new mentality”

“The digital innovation that we all hope for today is linked to a more general change of perspectives, with respect to the role and mission of museums in contemporary society and confronts us with the need to rethink and reshape objectives and action tools”. This was underlined by the Italian president of Icom, International Council of Museums, Adelaide Maresca Compagna, speaking from the Spadolini room of the Mic at the presentation of the new Civita Report, ‘Next Generation Culture – Digital technologies and immersive languages ​​for new cultural audiences’, in collaboration with Icom, with a particular focus on museums, in the presence of the Minister of Culture, Dario Franceschini and the president of the Civita association, Gianni Letta. The change is also necessary with respect to the very “definition of a museum and the prospects of effective economic sustainability, in the face of the aspects made evident by the pandemic, the suspension or reduction of visits in presence, the instability of international tourist flows and sources of financing – continues Maresca – Hence also the need to direct museum policies towards new recipients and invent new ways of attracting and engaging the public, through interactive and digital participation experiences, also identifying new forms of financing, spreading a new mentality in managers and staff updating, adapting professional profiles: an extraordinary opportunity – concludes the president of Icom Italia – to bridge the delays in our country “. (by Enzo Bonaiuto)