Italian Museums Open, Supported by €55 Billion Government Decree

After months of masterpieces sitting in empty galleries during a nation-wide lockdown, museums in Italy face a financial crisis. In the past week, however, Cultural Minister Dario Franceschini announced both the re-opening of Museums in addition to a €55 billion Decreto Rilancio (relaunch decree) with some funds allocated specifically for cultural institutions. Although Milan’s institutions are still closed, Rome’s Capitoline Museums and Venice’s civic museums are opening their doors.

While the re-openings aim to bring in revenue, serious financial strain has already been accrued from the months of loss revenue. The Castello di Rivoli, for example, reports that it has already lost €1 million due to the months of closure. Furthermore, the Uffizi has reported over €10 million in lost income. In addition, new restrictions limiting the amounts of visitors in order to maintain social distancing only exacerbates the strain.

The relaunch aid package includes €100 million for losses in ticket sales and €210 million for bookshops, cancelled events, and exhibitions. A “Culture Fund” aimed to secure long-term loans for museum investments and buildings has also been dedicated €100 million.

While the outcome is still precarious, the overall outlook for the future seems optimistic with these new initiatives and government support. The director of Capodimonte, Sylvain Bellenger, has said “public and  private organizations are obliged to work with one another for the future of society.”

– Jori Bonadurer