The Sustainable Management of Museums: Theoretical Considerations and Empirical Evidence from Marche Region

The theme of sustainability in museum management is still underdeveloped in the international literature, despite the potential benefits for all subjects involved (museums, local people, customers, etc.). Considering this gap and the distinctive features of Italian museums, the objective of this study is twofold. Firstly, to provide a conceptual model applying the principles of sustainable development to the enhancement of cultural heritage and, secondly, to analyze the case of Marche Region. The research aims both at analysing strengths and weaknesses of Regional Museum System and measuring museums\u2019 sustainability orientation. After analysing the three dimensions of sustainability \u2013 environmental, social and economic \u2013 and their possible application to museum management, the research presents a quali-quantitative survey organised in two steps: 1) the analysis of Marche Region\u2019s laws and planning documents; 2) the submission of a structured questionnaire to 61 museums. The survey shows a full awareness of the benefits of sustainable management by museums analyzed. However, the lack of a managerial approach to the government of museums compromises their ability to transfer this orientation in the operational policies. In this sense, the Region has a role of key-player, defining a model of governance based on cross-sector and aimed at overcoming the structural constraints of museums, in order to ensure their survival and their contribution to the sustainable development of tourist local system