Master in Future of Art Museums – FOAM

The master is devoted to the future of contemporary art museums, institutions called upon to deal with ever faster social, technological and cultural change. The content includes museology and museography, sustainability, inclusion and the social responsibility of museums, addressed through theoretical lessons and practical activities. The aim is to offer students an up-to-date view of the role of museums in society and of the challenges they must face to remain open, accessible and able to renew themselves. Contemporary museums are called upon to rethink their role, their relationship with the public and the management of their collections; for this reason the programme encourages critical reflection on exhibition practices, on forms of mediation and on models of participation.

Teaching is organised over one year, for a total of 60 ECTS credits, in a blended format in which in-person lessons are concentrated in blocks, so as to be compatible with a professional activity. The programme includes seminars, design studios, in which students work on concrete projects with a design-based approach, and a study trip that offers a further opportunity for international exchange. A compulsory internship at European museums is also included, which makes it possible to put what has been learned into practice and to come into contact with cultural institutions in the sector. The setting is international and the language of the programme, as the title suggests, is English. Project-based work and meeting professionals encourage the building of a network of contacts that can prove valuable in later stages of one's career. The design studios encourage experimentation and shared design, while the seminars offer the chance to engage with experts and professionals, in an atmosphere of exchange that combines the academic and professional dimensions.

The aim is to train professionals in museology and museography able to tackle the challenges of contemporary art museums in constant transformation. The related professional roles are art curator, museum educator, cultural manager, museum conservator and cultural mediator. The master is aimed at graduates and professionals from art, design, architecture or related disciplines, including managers, curators and mediators with experience in the cultural sector who wish to update and broaden their skills. The programme is therefore suited both to those starting a career in museums and to those already working in the sector who intend to take on roles of greater responsibility or rethink their professional practices. The master can also be an opportunity for those coming from other creative fields who wish to specialise in museum work, acquiring a common language with curators, educators and cultural managers.