ERIH Italy: The Social Responsibility of Industrial Museums
At its annual meeting on 9 April at ERIH member AEMuseum in Milan, the Italian ERIH community will be discussing the future of industrial museums within a European context. The focus will be on how ERIH sites can strategically leverage the new international conception of museums – as agents of cultural policy assuming social responsibility.
International organisations such as ICOM (International Council of Museums), NEMO (Network of European Museum Organisations) and EMF (European Museum Forum) have reframed the role of museums in recent years. Rather than being solely places of preservation, museums are now seen as venues and amplifiers for democratic interaction, social inclusion and sustainable development. The ICOM definition adopted in 2022 emphasises accessibility, participation and socio-cultural relevance. NEMO and EMF provide practical tools and innovative models for this purpose.
Particularly for smaller, often remote industrial heritage sites in Italy, this provides a strategic opportunity. Serving as regional landmarks of industrialisation, they can become platforms for dialogue on transformation, climate change and social justice – thus strengthening their role on the public stage.
The aim of ERIH Italy is to translate international guidelines into specific, cost-effective strategies: by strengthening local alliances, creating inclusive structures and consistently embedding sustainability in narratives and management. This could set an example for the further development of industrial heritage beyond Italy.
AEMuseum