Italian museum directors appeal to reopen public museums in yellow zones

Sergio Risaliti, artistic director of the Museo Novecento in Florence, together with 82 signatories including museum directors, critics, art historians, curators, artists, collectors, gallerists, and sector professionals, has issued an appeal to Italian Minister of Cultural Heritage and Tourism Dario Franceschini. The appeal urges the government to allow the reopening of public museums in regions classified as "yellow zones" under the national COVID-19 restrictions. The signatories argue that museums provide essential social and cultural services, contributing to psychological well-being and cognitive development, and can operate safely with proper health protocols. They highlight contradictions in the closure criteria, noting that other services like shopping malls, bars, restaurants, hairdressers, and bookstores are permitted in yellow zones. The appeal emphasizes that the closure penalizes citizens, especially children, students, and families, and that the democratic right to enjoy artistic heritage should not be subordinated to economic metrics. The signatories include Cristina Acidini, Francesca Banchelli, Domenico Bianchi, and many others.