The Museum of Rescued Art, a new institution to display ancient artworks and artifacts that were illegally exported from Italy, has opened in Rome.
Created by the Italian government, the museum is housed within the National Roman Museum in the Baths of Diocletian, Artnet News reports.
“Stolen artworks and archaeological artifacts dispersed, sold, or illegally exported constitute a significant loss to a country’s cultural heritage and the expression of its historical memory and collective values, not to mention the identity of its people,” said Dario Franceschini, Italy’s minister of culture, in a statement.
The Museum of Rescued Art will offer rotating exhibitions that showcase looted and stolen relics that Italy has reclaimed from abroad.
It opened with an exhibition of 100 artifacts, including figurines, statues, urns, plates and coins (via the Guardian). These will be replaced with new pieces in October, when the already exhibited artifacts are returned to their original homes.
Reclaimed ancient artworks and artifacts
“Despite its intrinsic intangible value, rather than being worth safeguarding, protecting and preserving, cultural heritage has often been targeted for illicit trafficking and material destruction,” he added.
“It is no coincidence that during international conflicts, aggressors frequently, intentionally, and deliberately damage cultural heritage, striking at the very roots of the enemy country’s identity.”
“Protecting and enhancing these riches is both an institutional duty and a moral commitment: we must take on this responsibility towards future generations so that, through these artifacts, they are able to preserve identity-related values and acknowledge a shared cultural history,” said Franceschini.
Maxxi, Italy’s national museum of contemporary art and architecture, recently revealed plans for a new building and green spaces for outdoor exhibitions.
Rome’s new cookery museum, the Museo della Cucina, opened in May. It is dedicated to the country’s rich history of food and cooking.
Images: National Roman Museum
