Following months of speculation, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, led by Dario Franceschini, announced on Monday that the Richard Ginori Museum, belonging to the Doccia Manufacture in Sesto Fiorentino, was purchased by the Ministry for 700,000 euro. The museum has been struggling in recent years, set on a path to ruin unless a buyer was successfully found, a considerable loss for the country’s cultural heritage considering that Doccia is one of the oldest manufacture of porcelains and ceramics in Europe.
When announcing the purchase, Franceschini stated, “It is a pledge upheld, an exceptional collection saved, which is a fundamental part of Italian heritage.” Along with the building, which was purchased at a lower price than what was estimated by the Land Registry and Florence’s Court, MiBACT also acquired the museum’s collection, which will be ceded to the Ministry within 120 days from the date of purchase. With the collection officially in the hands of the state, the new museum will become part of the national museum network, allowing the Ministry to oversee the institution’s protection and promotion.
