Museums in Florence focus on the city’s Renaissance past and the contemporary art scene. What are the differences and similarities in sharing this culture to the public?
Florence is a fascinating city that enthralls you at first glance, but it is only by re-turning several times that one can say that they have been there and that they truly know the place in depth. It is a bustling city and the Florentines populate it with a lively temperament; it is people-oriented and in sync with the times. The museum offering is rich: you can range between municipal and state museums by selecting various chronological and thematic itineraries. Some of the museums are very famous and attract the majority of visitors; others are less known and visited by a selected few. In any case, visitors are heterogeneous, of all ages and coming from different backgrounds. Art is an expression of its time and, when scenarios change, its language changes accordingly. The public is a cross-section of society, always curious to listen to our rich history and to well-told stories. Visitors arrive willing and ready to learn, and are thus transported through time and beauty, finding the answer they were looking for in Florence.
What are the main features that determine the quality of a museum experience?
A museum visit is an extraordinary opportunity for discovery and enrichment in the setting and space of its own story. It is an encounter with the artists, their creativity, beliefs and time, and an incredible way to exchange information for the formulation of new thoughts and comparisons. Content quality in its presentation and communication is essential for the enjoyment of visitors, as it is the welcome they receive, starting with logistics: the cloakroom, bathrooms, seating opportunities and itineraries carefully studied to facilitate accessibility, taking into account any possible challenges. When a visit is not guided by specialized personnel, the experience should be helped by a modern set-up with clear signage. Introductory panels when entering the rooms are very important and non-specialist plaques should communicate the history and the value of a work of art, situating it in its correct time frame. Entrance flows should always be managed by a set time booking system and with a graph sug- gesting quieter visiting hours in order to ensure a pleasant and stress-free experience. The success of each single vis- it is the best publicity a museum can get. Not to mention the educational offering that encourages the growth and development of attentive and responsible new generations.
How do museums influence tourism flows?
Museums have an immense impact on tourist flows. Their popularity, alongside the masterpieces they house, tends to increase demand, which is often greater than the supply itself. Many works of art are true icons and the echo of their beauty resonates over time. Visitors choose to come to a city to be able to see these artworks, thus increasing cultured tourism, which is not necessarily richer in economic terms, but is nevertheless richer in terms of quality, upping education and awareness. Lesser known museums offer amazing opportunities to deflect major tourism flows if they succeed in improving their assets. These numbers would definitely grow if they started to share, communicate and publicize their wonderful contents by selecting younger and more immediate forms of communication and by telling their stories on social media. Furthermore, exhibitions, if captivating and well organized, can bring exciting results in terms of visitor numbers. Their challenge is to engage citizens and visitors as well as tour operators who, if involved and trained through the sharing of catalog texts and preparatory meetings, can have a real impact in tourism flows.
