Museums as beacons of the future: a manifesto redefines the polytechnic’s mission
‘For future reference’, wrote Leonardo Sciascia in a book published in 1989 by Bompiani and later by Adelphi, in which he compiled his writings from the 1980s on the themes of justice and the anti-Mafia movement. And he added, with that touch of irony and pessimism that had characterised his literary and civic commitment: ‘If memory has a future…’. He nevertheless captured well the link between historical awareness of the past and the building of a tomorrow that we hope will be better. After all, ‘the future has an ancient heart’, to borrow the apt title of an essay by Carlo Levi from the 1950s, published by Einaudi. The list of quotations could go on at length. But it is worth concluding by recalling the words of Gustav Mahler: ‘Tradition is the keeping of the fire, not the worship of ashes’; and above all those of Fernand Braudel, one of the greatest historians of the twentieth century: ‘To have been is a condition for being’.
This is the crux of a debate that has long engaged literary figures and historians, and which is gaining fresh momentum as Italian businesses turn their attention to their historical heritage and the values of corporate culture – not merely as ‘nostalgia’ or nostalgia for a glorious past, but above all as the construction of a ‘future of memory’ that serves as an essential tool for productivity and competitiveness: in increasingly demanding and selective markets, a company’s history, experience and knowledge are distinctive elements of an identity that characterises the very best of ‘Made in Italy’ and which cannot be imitated or copied. The experience of Museimpresa, with the museums and historical archives of over 170 member organisations, stands as a prime example of this. This also benefits the younger generations, to whom we must tell stories and inspire innovation, change and transformation.
These are cultural choices, projects and values that are reflected in the ‘Manifesto of the Museums of the Future’, presented in Naples at the Città della Scienza, dedicated to the memory of Michele Lanzinger (former director of the Trento Science Museum and former president of ICOM Italia, the International Council of Museums) and developed by the Network of Museums of the Future, in collaboration with ASviS (the Association for Sustainable Development, led by Enrico Giovannini), Ecosistema Futuro and, of course, ICOM.
The Manifesto has already garnered support from museums and cultural associations (including Museimpresa) and is based on the recognition that ‘museums preserve the memory of the past and shape the present and the future’. It is committed to fostering ‘future literacy’ as a ‘civic and democratic competence’, it engages with the younger generations through a creative relationship with previous generations, and emphasises the values of participation, diversity, research and experimentation, social justice, and the promotion of cultural transformations that are essential in an era of ecological transition and climate crisis.
The vision is that of ‘an open future’, and museums are, in fact, ‘laboratories of the future’. A possible future, towards which ‘we must steer the present’. As Giovannini explains, ‘Ecosistema Futuro is a project created to place long-term thinking at the heart of the country’s decision-making. And museums play a crucial role because they bring the past, present and future into dialogue and can help people understand the transformations taking place and participate in the decisions that affect their future’. Michela Rota, of Ecosistema Futuro, adds: ‘From climate change to biodiversity, from artificial intelligence to the future of work and learning, museums can provide spaces for discussion on issues that are crucial for contemporary societies. And our Manifesto calls for these themes to be incorporated into exhibitions and educational activities, involving local communities.’
