The Italian ministry of culture on Thursday launched an international selection process for the appointment of directors for 20 of the country's top museums. The new managers will be in post on June 1.
The move is part of a broad package of reforms introduced by Culture Minister Dario Franceschini to reorganise Italy's museum system to better preserve and valorise the national cultural heritage. Specifically, the decree signed on December 23 provides for the creation of 20 autonomous museums and a further 17 regional museum 'centres' or groupings in the Italian regions with State-run cultural sites.