Il museo come spazio del riconoscimento: vis civica e identità culturale

The contribution highlights the connection between the experience of cultural heritage and the practice of active citizenship. An overview of the evolution of museums in the modern age, since the French revolution, stresses the strong political vocation of these institutions, which can provide relevant narratives and represent specific identities. Despite the controversial origin of many collections, museums can be effective spaces of recognition for individuals and communities, authentic mirrors of the main values of a social context. Towards the strong transformation of present times, museums can make the difference in the development of democracies, by exploring even radical reinterpretation of their heritage.