Gabriella Belli defends museum autonomy on free admission

Gabriella Belli, former director of Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia, argues that the recent abolition of mandatory free Sunday museum admissions by Italian Minister of Cultural Heritage Alberto Bonisoli is a positive step. She claims that a one-size-fits-all policy fails to account for the diverse typologies and geographical contexts of Italian museums. Belli emphasizes that museums should have the autonomy to design personalized free admission plans, with targeted educational programs to foster long-term audience engagement. She criticizes the Franceschini law for not providing sufficient resources—such as adequate staffing and revenue balance between major and local museums—to fully realize institutional autonomy. Belli concludes that opening doors is not enough; museums must actively cultivate cultural growth through tailored mediation and monitoring.