Finalists Announced for Directors of 14 Italian State Museums

The Italian Ministry of Culture has released the shortlist of candidates for the directorship of 14 autonomous state museums, known as "second-tier" institutions. The selection process, which began in August 2025, concluded in December 2025. Candidates must be EU citizens with proven professional qualifications in cultural heritage management. A commission appointed by Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli evaluated applicants based on multiple criteria, admitting up to ten finalists per museum. Oral interviews will start on January 12 at the Ministry's headquarters in Rome. Notable multiple candidates include Andrea Bruciati (current director of Villa Adriana and Villa d'Este), Mario Epifani (former director of Palazzo Reale di Napoli), Paolo Giulierini (former MANN director), Luca Mercuri (interim director of Pantheon and Castel Sant'Angelo), Cristiano Leone (president of Fondazione Santa Maria della Scala), and Denis Ton (curator at Castello del Buonconsiglio). The museums include Museo storico e Parco del Castello di Miramare, Complesso monumentale della Pilotta, Musei nazionali di Bologna, Musei nazionali di Lucca, Pantheon e Castel Sant'Angelo, Parco archeologico dell'Appia Antica, Villa Adriana e Villa d'Este, Ville monumentali della Tuscia, Palazzo Reale di Napoli, Musei nazionali del Vomero, Musei e parchi archeologici di Capri, Parco archeologico di Ercolano, Castello Svevo di Bari, and Musei nazionali di Matera.