Luigi Di Maio's Gaffe on Taranto's Archaeological Museum Ignites Controversy

Italian Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio sparked outrage after claiming on Rai's CartaBianca that Taranto lacks a museum worthy of Magna Graecia. Eva Degl'Innocenti, director of the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Taranto (MarTA), swiftly rebutted on Twitter, inviting him to visit what she called one of the most important archaeological museums in the world. The MarTA, established in 1887, underwent a €15 million restoration from 1998 to 2016, with final sections inaugurated by former Minister Dario Franceschini and Premier Matteo Renzi. It houses 25 halls spanning 6,500 years of history, including the Ori di Taranto gold collection, the Zeus bronze of Ugento, and the Tomb of the Athlete. Under Franceschini's autonomy reform, the museum saw a 203% visitor increase from 2013 to 2016, reaching 82,319 visitors, and a 492.6% revenue boost. Di Maio's comment, part of a pattern of controversial statements, was criticized as ignorant and disrespectful to state workers and local identity. The incident highlights tensions between the government and cultural institutions.