Italian museums' educational departments pivot to digital during lockdown

The article examines how three Italian museums—Museo del Novecento in Milan, Gallerie degli Uffizi in Florence, and MAXXI in Rome—adapted their educational programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the precarious status of museum education in Italy, where educators lack formal professional recognition and are often considered expendable, these institutions leveraged digital tools to maintain audience engagement. The Museo del Novecento launched "10 puntate di arte online" during the first lockdown, later creating KITEDU900, a digital kit for primary schools marking its tenth anniversary. The Uffizi expanded its Facebook presence with audio lessons, videos featuring the director, and a call for children's drawings worldwide, continuing with the R-estate con l'arte project through summer and into the second lockdown. MAXXI adopted the slogan "siamo chiusi, per questo restiamo aperti" and offered workshops tied to the exhibition At home 20.20, followed by free online labs for schools. During Christmas, the Museo del Novecento partnered with Ad Artem for remote campus activities on Zoom; the Uffizi launched "Uffizi sotto l'albero" where groups of ten children could discuss a painting with an educator; and MAXXI presented "Le avventure del Drago Arturo" and "MAXXI Pop Up" labs. The article argues that the pandemic has highlighted the essential role of educational departments, calling for their formal recognition and adequate staffing in state museums.