The Italian Committee of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) recently gave some good news to Florence: the Museo Galileo is the best managed museum in Italy.
The announcement came as part of ICOM’s debut of the Prize ICOM Italy, the first award in Italy dedicated to museums.
According to the committee, Florence’s Museo Galileo won the Best Management Award because, ‘Active since 1930, it was completely renovated in 2010, transforming it and the historical collections in original way through an innovative layout.
The high-quality scientific staff, experienced management personnel, its historic non-profit status, and the participation of many agencies and institutions make it an effective model of museum organization and sustainable management through a balanced relationship between the public and private sectors. It should also be appreciated the important educational activity and technological innovation of information services to the public.’
ICOM counts more than 24,000 members in five continents and is part of an international network for museum professionals of all disciplines and specialties. Its mission is ‘to preserve, ensure continuity and communicate the value of cultural and natural heritage, present and future, material
and nonmaterial.’ (For more information, see www.icom-italia.org.)
Aside from being named the ‘best managed’ museum in Italy, the Museo Galileo recently announced other good news: since its re-opening in June 2010, the number of visitors to the museum was up 60 percent compared to the same period in 2007.