Mercati di Traiano. Musei dei Fori Imperiali. Rome-IT

The Municipality of Rome is a local public body and represents about three million inhabitants. The competences of the Municipality are: administrative, political, social policy and social protection, equal opportunities, enterprise policy, taxation. In wielding its authority on a vast area, the Municipality targets a well balanced social, cultural, economic and environmental development for its community.

The administration has a huge experience in preparing and managing (both technical and administrative aspects) EU co financed projects in different programmes (such as LIFE, H2020 or structural funds and so on). Among the many peculiar aspects of such a complex organization, we point out that the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage (Sovrintendenza Capitolina ai Beni Culturali) is the specific body within the organisation of Roma, in charge for the management, preservation, valorisation of the archaeological and historical-artistic assets and monuments of the Municipality. It is branched in different offices for specific fields, as archaeological excavations and ancient monuments, medieval and modern monuments, historical Villas, ancient art museums, medieval and modern art museums, contemporary art museums, sciences museums, territory management and restoration activities, historical buildings consolidation. Museums are relevant assets within this framework. The museums of Roma are organised in the network of Musei in Comune, an extremely diverse group of more than 20 museum spaces and archaeological sites of great artistic and historical value.

The Imperial Forums Museum opened in October 2007 in the Trajan‟s Market. It has the aim of integrating, in a single visit path, the archeological remains, that can be seen in open-air sites, with architectural and sculptural pieces coming from the ancient buildings in the rooms of Trajan‟s Market. The Museum project has tried to reconcile the exigencies of a modern museum, with technological, didactic, consulting services, with those of a monument having its own historical and archaeological characteristics. A huge intervention of special maintenance and restoration as a whole was carried out. Moreover, the whole area was adapted to present installing and safety standards by placing modern elements which nevertheless do not produce any “interference” in perceiving the ancient architectural structures. Since 1985, over 40,000 fragments originating from the forum area have been catalogued from deposits, focused on the treatment and restoration, on making an inventory of all the fragments and on photographic documentation. It was this detailed gathering of data which made it possible to identify the most significant pieces for the reconstruction of ancient buildings and their decorative details. Once reassembled, the exhibits then underwent graphical documentation and restoration; a rigorous process that has saved some fragments from complete loss. The identification of new contexts and the definition of architectural orders, and hence the appearance of forum complexes, have formed the basis of study for The Museum of the Imperial Forums project.

For over twenty years the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage  has under way a qualifying collaboration with the National Civil Service (Servizio Civile Nazionale). In this long period, with the contribution of over 800 young volunteers, experiences have been carried out to benefit citizens thanks to innovative and quality activities within museum structures, promoting the widespread cultural heritage of the city, including historic villas and archaeological areas.

One hundred and fifteen projects have been completed and many thematic areas. First of all, communication and enhancement measures have always been planned for the “Musei in Comune” network. The promotion took place and still takes place within the structures, in elementary and maternal schools, in centers for the elderly, in places of care and hospitalization, in prisons, in rehabilitation centers. Very important then is the contribution of the volunteers in welcoming visitors and tourists, especially during exhibitions and cultural events. In addition, specific initiatives have been carried out for users with disabilities and activities undertaken in lesser-known museums.

 

The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage collaborates with the Ministry of Education, University and Scientific Research fr the Project School-Work Alternation (Alternanza Scuola Lavoro),  an innovative education method brought in by Law no. 53/2003 and disciplined by Legislative Decree no. 77/2005. It is addressed to students of upper secondary schools, and allows them to “alternate” periods of training in the classroom and inside private, public and third sector working environments. It’s aims at enriching the educational, cultural and professional profile of students, their orientation in the choices of study and work, the creation of territorial training alliances based on the exchange of cultures and experiences.

This collaboration allows young people to open up to the concrete experience of museum spaces, the territory, the collective memory, in the perspective of crafts and of the professions of cultural field.

The areas chosen for projects shared with the schools are promotion, communication and accessibility.

In 2017 the Superintendency hosted more than 30 schools.