The management of the artistic and cultural heritage in Italy: international comparisons, territorial differences, problems and prospects

The work analyses - using various domestic and international statistical sources - the structural characteristics of the vast Italian museum, monumental and archaeological heritage, comparing them with those of the other main European countries. The main critical issues in managing the heritage are illustrated, distinguishing between factors related to conservation, accessibility, orientation towards visitors and the ability to relate with external stakeholders. Employing the microdata made available by the Istat census surveys, we study the factors behind the performance of cultural institutions in different outcome areas. The results indicate first that, notwithstanding the improvement in recent years, the effectiveness of management of cultural heritage falls short of its potential. The econometric analysis of the determinants of museum performance suggests that greater autonomy (accounting, organizational, operational) tends to generally correspond to better results, regardless of the public or private nature of the institution. Net of the individual observable characteristics of cultural institutions, there is a positive correlation between the various performance indicators, indicating the absence of fundamental trade-offs between the various branches of activity of museum sites. The legislative measures that, since 2014, have conferred a special autonomy on some museums have contributed to improving the value and attractiveness of the sites concerned.