Debunking myths about museum management in Italy

Angelo Argento, an Italian lawyer and professor of Cultural Heritage Legislation at Brera Academy of Fine Arts, writes an opinion piece on Artribune dismantling common criticisms of modern museum management in Italy. He argues that museum autonomy, far from undermining conservation, strengthens it by enabling faster restorations and research. Valorization, he contends, does not mean commodification but rather making cultural heritage accessible and sustainable through bookshops, cafeterias, and evening events. Increased visitor numbers are a positive outcome, not a problem, and the real elitism lies in keeping museums empty. Promoting major attractions like the Uffizi or Pompeii benefits smaller sites by directing visitors and generating revenue that can be redistributed. Free admission initiatives and museum nights have broadened audiences and should be managed, not abolished. Argento concludes that museums must be dynamic, inclusive spaces that combine quality with accessibility, rejecting the false dichotomy between conservation and valorization.