MACTE Termoli President on Museum Reopening Plans Post-Lockdown

Paolo Larivera De Matteis, president of MACTE in Termoli, discusses the museum's preparations for reopening on May 18, 2020, after the Italian government announced museums could reopen under social distancing guidelines. The museum had closed shortly after inaugurating an exhibition dedicated to Nanda Vigo, titled "Light Project 2020." This exhibition has been extended until September, resulting in the cancellation of a planned show on Alessandro Mendini. MACTE has procured personal protective equipment and contracted a specialized company for space sanitization. The museum independently researched national and regional regulations for social distancing and staff safety, awaiting definitive protocols. Future plans include enhancing educational workshops on an individual basis to help address learning deficits from early school closures. Larivera De Matteis notes that as a young museum, the shift in visitor experience will be minimal for exhibitions but significant for seminar activities, which may move to videoconferencing. He does not engage directly with the Ministry, leaving that to industry associations. He emphasizes the interconnection between art and tourism, calling for integrated recovery plans and expanded tax deductibility for art sector contributions.