Should private companies run public museums?

The article argues that Italian public museums, which are legally public services, increasingly delegate visitor research and strategic planning to private concessionaires managing ancillary services. This outsourcing of statutory functions—such as understanding audiences to improve attractiveness and satisfaction—has not sparked the same controversy as would delegating scientific leadership. The author, Stefano Monti of Monti&Taft, questions why full museum management, including the director role, should not be assigned to private firms through public tenders, with accountability based on a pre-agreed strategic plan. He notes that museums already outsource front-office tasks, struggle with permanent collections, rely on blockbuster exhibitions produced by others, and often attract few visitors even when free. Monti proposes integrating all delegations under a single private manager, subject to public oversight, to improve efficiency and sustainability. The piece references the Mudec in Milan as an example of partial private management.