No one doubts that it is one of the cultural excellences of the area, but the potential still unexpressed by the Paleontological Museum, based in Palazzo del Michelerio, is still many. An exhibition and educational place, connected to the Paleontological Park of Asti and to the geosites scattered throughout the province, on which the minority municipal councilors Vittoria Briccarello and Mauro Bosia have decided to relight a spotlight to denounce what they consider to be betrayed expectations, critical issues and problems that arise have been dragging on for years.
The two start from the fact that it would be difficult to have exhaustive information on completed, ongoing or future projects, considering the poor statements on the matter from the management. They call into question the president of the Paleontological Park Management Body, Livio Negro, but also the Rasero administration and, in doing so, reconstruct the events of the museum’s last important game, the extension of the exhibition spaces in the former Church of Gesù on which major renovation works had been announced.
«In 2017 the then mayor Brignolo announced the arrival of European funds (Wine and Culture Project) aimed at the restoration of the former Church of Gesù to transform it into the most qualifying space of the Paleontological Museum and thus give shape to the idea of the study center on fossil cetaceans. Funds which, a few years later, the Rasero council, no longer considering that project a priority for the Municipality, subtracted and moved to the renovation of Palazzo Ottolenghi – Briccarello and Bosia recall – From the centre-right they hastened to declare their commitment to finding other sources of financing to recover the project of the former Church of Gesù. Although the amount in question was anything but small, 800 thousand euros, President Negro did not publicly say a single word about the money taken from the restoration project. Years have passed, two Rasero administrations have followed one another and we are dismayed to note that alternative funds have not been found, that the former Church of Gesù has not been restored and that it is very different to organize an annual exhibition of fossil cetaceans, as has happened since two years, from restoring, setting up and making functional a real museum space”.
The consequences of confined spaces
Space problems are a thorn in the museum’s side because they prevent it from exhibiting to the public “the vast majority of the finds acquired in Asti by the Natural Sciences Museum of Turin and which would represent an important exhibition opportunity”. «In the 2023 assembly of the Paleontological District the Municipalities responded positively to the proposal to ensure an extraordinary contribution to support the UNESCO candidacy, i.e. pay a double annual fee – they continue from Uniti si can – Asti invested, for example 16,400 euros and, in On the occasion, Mayor Rasero declared: “What the District asks of us today should not be seen as an expense, but as an investment for our territory: the Municipality will support it, as will the Province”.
«Livio Negro exposed the program of initiatives to be implemented in support of the UNESCO candidacy and, among these, we remember a conference in Asti, focused on the uniqueness of our territory, of paleontologists from all over the world announced for November 2023 – add Briccarello and Bosia – But no international conference was held on that date. This project also seems to have failed.”
And again: «In the 2023 assembly of mayors, President Negro announced that the organization was working towards the exhibition of a large cetacean from the Asti museum in San Diego or Tokyo in order to publicize our fossil heritage on an international level. One year after the announcement, we ask if the date has been set and where exactly the exhibition will take place.”
We contacted Livio Negro for a reply, but he announced that he will speak at his own time. For the two councilors, however, there is still the question of the potential passage of the center under the management of AstiMusei, contested by Uniti Si Can: «Has the agreement been signed? Will it be signed? If so, what does it involve? If not, what prevented it from being done? Can the citizens be informed of this, since not even the members of the Culture Commission are informed?”.
