Minister Sangiuliano: “Dear museum directors, we don’t go on holiday on April 24th and on August 15th we will have a working lunch”

«Dear Directors, I have noticed that many of you, with some commendable exceptions, were on holiday on Monday 24 April, the bridge day leading up to Liberation Day. It being understood that holidays are an intangible right, I would like to point out that the peculiarity of our Ministry, whose activities are particularly reflected on the occasion of these holidays, would suggest a punctual presence in these days. To understand this, it is as if the forces of order went on vacation when the city empties for the summer holidays. On this occasion, I announce that on 15 August next, at 1.00 pm, you are all invited to my place for a business lunch. The opportunity to extend cordial greetings is welcome.” Signed by the Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano who in seven lines (so long is his letter sent to the directors anticipated by Dagospia) swept away tens of years of controversy related to museums closed at Easter, Easter Monday, Christmas and August 15th.

“You don’t mess with this minister” was the general comment in via del Collegio Romano this morning. And in all likelihood this was the reaction that the owner of Culture wanted to arouse. Minister who, in reality, from the very first day of his appointment had announced (how can we forget the Easter controversy with the director of the Uffizi Eike Schmidt, “guilty” of having closed the museum on Easter Monday) that for him the museums had to remain always open. And yesterday, April 25, too, he asked and obtained that no one should close, but above all that all state museums be free.

But there is also. especially among employees, he sees such a circular as smoke and mirrors. Museums are known to be understaffed and it is often quite difficult to balance shifts without forcing the employees to skip rest periods.

The other openings desired by Sangiuliano
To the #domenicalmuseo initiative (12 days a year), therefore, 3 other dates with free access to places of culture are added: 25 April, 2 June (Republic Day) and 4 November (National Unity Day and Armed forces). «April 25th was the first of 3 new free days that I strongly desired to associate highly symbolic anniversaries for our nation with a moment of sharing our cultural heritage, a determining factor of identity in which all Italians can identify. I invite citizens and tourists to take advantage of this opportunity on Liberation Day», declared Minister Sangiuliano.

Already on April 24, considering the bank holiday, many institutes deferred the traditional closing on Mondays and remained open. And it is precisely from here that the minister’s literature starts: on that day “apart from a few commendable exceptions” many directors made the “bridge”.

More than 100,000 visitors to the Uffizi
Just for the long weekend of April 25, the Uffizi was a triumph of visitors. In detail, there were 10,481 tourists at the Uffizi on Saturday, 11,502 on Sunday, 10,537 on Monday and 9,300 on Tuesday. For Palazzo Pitti instead Saturday 3.807, Sunday 4.687, Tuesday 6.899. Finally, the Boboli Gardens was able to count 9,478 people on Saturday, 11,973 on Sunday, 8,511 on Monday and 14,217 on Tuesday. At Palazzo Pitti a notable growth compared to the Easter weekend, which hosted a total of 15,482 visitors (+ 23%), as well as the Boboli Gardens, with 44,179 people (+ 22%). or 1,105; Certosa and Museum of San Martino 1.031.