Capua's historic Museo Campano is in danger of closing. Can we save it?

The historic Museo Campano in Capua, one of the most important and oldest museums in southern Italy, is in danger of closing. The reason is quickly said: since the museum is managed by the Province of Caserta, and since recent laws have taken away powers from the provinces, the Museo Campano has suddenly found itself without financial coverage. The concrete risk, as Manlio Lilli also denounces on his blog, is the closure of the museum as well as the possible dismemberment of its collection, which is in danger of being divided among other institutions.

The Museo Campano (thirty-two rooms) has existed since 1869, when it was established by Royal Decree and then opened to the public five years later, in 1874. It houses a unique collection: in addition to the world’s largest collection of Matres Matutae (ancient votive statuettes typical of Roman mythology), it houses the largest lapidarium in southern Italy (the collection of epigraphs is the largest in Campania after that of the National Archaeological Museum in Naples), objects, vases and terracottas from the era of Magna Graecia and the civilizations Italic civilizations (for the study of the latter, the Museo Campano is one of the most significant in Italy), medals and coins from antiquity to the Unification of Italy, medieval and Renaissance sculptures, as well as a picture gallery with works of the local school (but there is also an Ecce homo by Bartolomeo Vivarini), and again a very rich library. This enormous heritage, due to staff reductions, is often hidden from the eyes of the public because the days of closure increase almost exponentially.

Several initiatives have been put in place to try to save the Museo Campano. On June 2, a human chain started in Capua to raise awareness. The Capua Nova association, together with other institutions in the area, launched the #AdottaUnaMadre campaign to propose to personalities from the worlds of culture, academia, art, entertainment and sports a commitment to promote awareness of the Matres Matutae in order to enhance their value and symbolically adopt each one. The campaign has already been joined by the Italian women’s national field hockey team, which will participate in the upcoming World League at the end of June with a Mater Matuta and the hashtag #AdottaUnaMadre imprinted on its game jersey.

The Ministry of Culture is planning a summit to decide on what to do. In the meantime, cultural personalities have launched two petitions on Change.org, one addressed to Undersecretary for Cultural Heritage Cesaro and the territorial authorities, and the other to Minister Franceschini and Governor De Luca, asking them to initiate a proper revitalization and enhancement project. Will we be able to save the Museo Campano?

Photo Credit: Capua Nova - Tempo Digitale

Capua's historic Museo Campano is in danger of closing. Can we save it?

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.