Italian Museum Accessibility Survey Reveals Strengths and Gaps

The first systematic mapping of museum accessibility in Italy, promoted by Fondazione Cariplo and Abbonamento Musei, was presented at Triennale di Milano during the conference "Il museo che accoglie: scenari e sfide dell'accessibilità nei luoghi della cultura." The survey, conducted with Fondazione Santagata per l'Economia della Cultura and museologist Maria Chiara Ciaccheri, involved 255 museums across Lombardy and the Piedmont provinces of Novara and Verbano-Cusio-Ossola. Key findings show that while 77.3% of museums have accessible restrooms and 63.1% offer barrier-free paths, only 26% recognize the 0–3 age group as a target audience. 41% of institutions are well-prepared for early childhood educational activities, but 40% lack dedicated spaces for young children, 48% lack services and equipment, and only one in three provides stroller areas. For disability access, 91.4% offer free entry to disabled visitors and 81.2% extend this to companions, yet over half lack multisensory tools, nearly 80% lack tactile maps, and almost half have no designated accessibility officer. The research will inform Fondazione Cariplo's initiatives under the "Anita. L'infanzia prima" and "Destinazione Autonomia" programs, with a total investment of €40 million, including new museum calls and training for cultural operators.