FLORENCE – On the occasion of Republic Day on June 2ndthe Accademia Gallery of Florence and the Higher School of the Magistracy have announced an important collaboration agreement. The agreement was signed by the director Cecilie Hollberg and by the president of the School, Silvana Sciarrawith the aim of creating a profitable cultural exchange between the two institutions.
Promotion of culture and enhancement of heritage
The Accademia Gallery in Florence, as indicated by MiC-Ministry of Culture, has among its objectives the promotion of study and knowledge of the museum and its collections, which represent a fundamental cultural heritage for both the country and the city. This mission includes the dissemination of historical-artistic identity values and the valorisation of cultural heritage through various initiatives, including of an educational nature. The agreement with the Higher School of the Magistracy fits into this strategyencouraging dialogue and collaboration between public and private institutions.
Statements by Cecilie Hollberg and Silvana Sciarra
“The theme of the protection of cultural heritage is a topic that concerns us closely and which has kept us very busy in recent years. I am really happy to be able to establish this collaboration with the Higher School of the Magistracy,” the director said Cecilie Hollberg. This agreement will make it possible to raise awareness and better inform administration staff regarding the right to protection of cultural heritage, while at the same time offering magistrates the possibility of directly approaching the museum reality of the Gallery and its works of art.
Silvana Sciarrapresident of the Higher School of the Magistracy, expressed great satisfaction and pride for the agreement: “Our ambition is to broaden the training of young magistrates, mainly focused on technical-legal subjects, to the culture and hospitality of the city, in such a prestigious museum. I am grateful to director Hollberg for having accepted our proposal and for having made it possible with the signing of a collaboration agreement”.
Joint activities and initiatives
The collaboration involves a constant cross-communication activity to deepen their respective knowledge, with participation in cultural initiatives such as exhibitions, reviews and training events that concern cultural heritage law. Students of the Higher School of Magistracy will have the opportunity to participate in guided tours of the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence, while the Museum staff will be able to visit the School’s headquarters at the Villa di Castel Pulci in Scandicci and participate in courses on the protection of cultural heritage, contracts, public procurement and state accounting.
Ppresentation of the 2016-2024 Report
The Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence presented the Report 2016-2024a document that recounts the significant transformations and successes achieved during the eight years of direction by Cecilie Hollberg. Since December 2015, Hollberg has led the museum through a path of modernization and innovationraising the quality and usability of the museum and strengthening its importance at an international level.
“We have maintained the unmistakable identity of the beloved museum, while transforming it into a welcoming and inclusive environment, a lively meeting place to enjoy beauty, art, music, research, history, discussion, education, intellect or pleasure” – he declares Cecilie Hollberg.
The transformation project
The transformation of the Gallery followed a strategy that not only enhanced and protected the Michelangelo’s David, emblem of national identity, but also made theentire collection more accessible and enjoyable. Initiatives have included the restoration, renovation and modernization of spaceswith a particular focus ondigital innovation. These interventions have led to an increase in 42% of visitorsgoing from 1,415,397 in 2015 to over 2 million in 2023, with revenues almost doubling.
New entrance and facade
The last phase of the works concerned the new entrance and the new façade of the museum. These interventions, which began in 2023, have improved visitor access and safety, increasing reception capacity. The stone elements were restored and new ones installed lighting and security systemsand created new gates to facilitate entry.
Rearrangement of the rooms
The rooms of the museum were rearranged to best enhance the works on display. The Prison Gallery, with the incomparable sculptures of Michelangelo’s Prisonsreceived a new enlightenment, while the Sala del Colossus and the rooms from the thirteenth to the fifteenth century have been equipped with air conditioning systems and LED lights. There Plaster plaster gallery has been reordered, improving the display of Lorenzo Bartolini’s plaster models.
Acquisitions, restorations and conservation
During these years, the Gallery has acquired seventeen new works and carried out important restoration work. These interventions have resolved conservation problems, improving the readability of the works and ensuring their long-term safety. Particular attention was paid to maintenance of Michelangelo’s Davidwith periodic dusting to maintain the brightness of the marble.
Exhibitions and communication
The exhibitions organized have always drawn inspiration from the museum’s collections, attracting new visitors even during the low season. Since 2022, with the post-pandemic recovery, the Gallery has presented important exhibitions, including a monographic on Pier Francesco Foschi. Communication has been enhanced through a new multilingual website, the digital channel “Accademia on line” and the artificial intelligence project “Chatta col David”.
Digital innovation
The digitization of the collections has been a priority to make the museum’s heritage more accessible. In 2023, all works have been digitized in high definitionusing advanced technologies such as Gigapixels to obtain detailed images. Digitalisation has also included theArchive of the artist Lorenzo Bartolinimaking approximately 12,800 documents accessible remotely.
Protection of the image
A significant result was obtained with the protection of the image of Michelangelo’s David. Thanks to pronunciations of Court of Florencethe illicit use of the image for commercial purposes was combated, establishing an important precedent for the protection of Italian cultural heritage.
Educational projects and inclusiveness
The Gallery has developed numerous educational and inclusive projects, following the ICOM indications. These projects have included tactile tours for people with visual impairments, visits for prisoners and educational initiatives for vulnerable audiences. Cultural participation was promoted through special guided tours and video formats for children and adults.
Association of Friends of the Accademia Gallery
The Association of Friends of the Accademia Gallery was created to support the museum’s activities, involving young people, Florentines and art lovers on an international level. This support network has contributed significantly to the transformation and success of the Gallery.
Among the most visited museums
The museum remains among the two most visited Italian museums, a record obtained also thanks to excellent management of visitor flows. Since 2017, the Accademia Gallery in Florence has periodically activated a monitoring your visitors through the administration of questionnaires, in order to acquire valuable information on the level of public satisfaction, to probe the evaluation of the services offered, and to be able to identify the most effective strategies for improving the methods of cultural enjoyment.
After the pandemic shutdown, it was found that the 50% of visitors were made up of young people under 25 years old. The last questionnaire was carried out in September 2023. Regarding the reasons for the visit, it emerges that now only 13% clearly indicated “David” as the sole reason for the visit. This confirms that today the entire Gallery, not just the David, is attractive to the public.
Accademia Gallery of Florence
Via Ricasoli, 58-60 – Florence
Tel. 055 0987100 – Fax 055 0987137
www.galleriaaccademiafirenze.it
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