Italian Museums Reopen with Mandatory Masks from May 18

Italian museums, archives, and libraries are preparing to reopen from May 18 and 19, following initial government guidelines. The reopening will be gradual and subject to strict safety protocols for staff, visitors, and artworks. Rome's Deputy Mayor and Councillor for Cultural Growth Luca Bergamo announced the reopening of the Capitoline Museums with mandatory booking: from May 19 to 21 only for MIC card holders, from May 22 for all, and from June 2 for other museums in the capital. Bergamo stated, 'The Capitoline Museums are a symbol and their reopening is a sign that community life can restart.' In Turin, the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo will reopen from May 18, planning tailored visits for Berlinde De Bruyckere's solo show 'Aletheia,' with a maximum of 15 visitors at a time. Key rules include mandatory masks for visitors and staff, temperature checks (with refusal if above 37.5°C), physical barriers at entrances, hand sanitizer stations, planned access programs, one-way routes, enhanced cleaning, frequent air exchange, limited elevator use, and disinfected audioguides. For documentary and library collections, isolation storage is recommended instead of disinfection.