Museums and Reform: A Step Forward

Fabio Severino applies the Pareto principle to Italian state museums, noting that a small number of famous institutions generate the majority of visitors and revenue. Museums like the Colosseum, Uffizi, Castel Sant'Angelo, Borghese Gallery, and Pompeii attract over a million visitors annually, while four others exceed 500,000. These are typically the 'Poli' museums that have been granted managerial autonomy and directors appointed through open competitions. The remaining 80%—over 350 institutions—struggle with low attendance and meager income. Severino argues that autonomy, which has worked for large museums, is not sufficient for smaller ones. Instead, he proposes outsourcing management to third parties—private, public, or nonprofit entities such as the FAI, local municipalities, or regions. These entities could leverage economies of scale to run state museums efficiently. He suggests models like project financing, where a third party invests in renovations or services in exchange for usage rights for a proportional period. Severino distinguishes this from full outsourcing, which he finds risky and potentially distorting for cultural institutions. He advocates for a French-style 'delegation' where the owner retains control over institutional activities while the third party operates specific services or spaces. The goal is a win-win arrangement: the owner gains capabilities they lack, and the third party delivers efficient, profitable services.