Museums Must Adapt to Serve Evolving Societies, Says ICOM President
Outgoing International Council of Museums (ICOM) President Emma Nardi emphasized museums' growing role as community anchors during an exclusive interview with CGTN at Rome's historic Braschi Palace. With International Museum Day approaching on May 18, Nardi reflected on her tenure's focus on fostering global connections through cultural institutions.
"Museums aren't just repositories of artifacts – they're living platforms for dialogue," Nardi told reporter Hermione Kitson. This year's theme, Museums in a Changing World: Innovation and Resilience, challenges institutions to address contemporary social shifts through inclusive programming and technological adaptation.
The museum expert highlighted pandemic-era innovations becoming permanent tools, from virtual reality exhibits to crowd-sourced digital archives. "When COVID-19 closed doors, museums opened windows to the world through social media collaborations," she noted, citing cross-border partnerships between Asian and European institutions.
Nardi urged museums to prioritize youth engagement and climate change education while maintaining historical preservation mandates. Her comments come as cultural institutions across Asia report increased footfall, particularly at UNESCO World Heritage sites enhancing interactive programming.
