Italian Museums May Reopen May 18 with Strict Social Distancing

Italian museums and archaeological sites may reopen on May 18, 2020, according to Culture Minister Dario Franceschini. The date coincides with International Museum Day, though ICOM Italy has replaced physical events with an online study day. Reopening will prioritize open-air sites like Pompeii and the Colosseum, as well as large venues like Capodimonte Museum in Naples, which has 130 rooms across three floors and a 134-hectare park. Capodimonte director Sylvain Bellenger told Artribune that the Royal Wood will open first, with online ticketing to control visitor numbers. He expects a surge of visitors craving green spaces but emphasized caution to avoid a second lockdown. Safety guidelines from the ministry are pending but likely similar to those issued by ConfCultura. Bellenger noted that fear of public places may initially limit crowds, and museums must implement strict social distancing measures.