New initiatives launched by MiBAC

How to attract new visitors to Italy's state museums? Open the doors for free once a month. To further promote Italy's vast cultural heritage, the Italian ministry of culture (MiBAC) is taking that idea a step further and offering once-a-month evening entrance to Italy's museums-for free.

As part of the initiative, Art Tuesdays, art-lovers can visit favourite masterworks or discover new ones that are housed in Italy's most popular state museums on the evenings of October 26, November 30 and December 28. On these days, admission will be free from 7pm to 11pm. (See below for a list of Tuscany's participating museums; for a list of those in Italy, see www.beniculturali.it)

In another initiative, MiBAC is asking all Internet-friendly art-lovers to take part in an online survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BX8DNQ8, running until November 20. Conducted with the Technological Observatory of Culture and Cultural Activities, the Web and Culture survey is composed of 30 multiple choice questions asking the kinds of cultural services netizens seek and what cultural websites they consult, as well as how much importance users place on a websites' cultural content versus graphics and more. The best part: those surveyed have the chance to win an 16GB SmartPhone.

For more information, see www.otebac.it

Art Tuesdays in Tuscany:

Basilica of San Francesco, Piazza S. Francesco in Arezzo

National Museum of the Napoleonic Resistance "Palazzina dei Mulini", Piazzale Napoleone in Portoferraio, Livorno

National Museum of the Napoleonic Resistance "Villa di San Martino", Località San Martino in Portoferraio, Livorno

Cappelle Medicee, Piazza Madonna degli Aldobrandini, Florence

Uffizi Gallery, Via Della Ninna, Florence

Accademia Gallery, Via Ricasoli, Florence

Gallery of Modern Art, Piazza Pitti, Florence

Palatina Gallery, Piazza Pitti, Florence

Bargello Museum, Via del Proconsolo, Florence

Museum of San Marco, Piazza S. Marco, Florence

Palazzo Davanzati, Via Porta Rossa, Florence