Sergio Risaliti on museum closures during coronavirus in Italy

Sergio Risaliti, the director of Florence's Museo Novecento, wrote an opinion article for Artribune addressing the severe effects of the coronavirus pandemic on Italian museums, portraying the circumstances as both unimaginable and dire. He refers to the closure of museums for a minimum of four weeks as a 'museum quarantine,' impacting tens of thousands of institutions and placing immense stress on their staff. Risaliti stresses the necessity for museums to maintain their educational roles online, underscoring the significance of cultural mediation. He acknowledges the coexistence of museums in both physical and digital realms and commends Culture Minister Dario Franceschini for advocating the prioritization of cultural initiatives. He concludes by stating that the values and frameworks of cultural production are currently being redefined, with the future already unfolding.