Landscape and museums: some critical reflections on initial developments in Italy

Landscape is now recognised as a component of heritage, not only in academic debate, but also in national and international policies and public opinion. In recent decades Geography has explored this relationship between landscape and heritage with two approaches. On the one hand, Historical Geography has applied the results of morphogenetic analysis to the recognition and management of the historical features of the landscape and on the other hand, Cultural Geography has offered the tools for the identification of the symbolic and ideological values underlying the use of landscape in heritage policies and in the process of constitution of local and national identities. Beginning from this twofold perspective we have focused our attention on a particular aspect of the heritaging of landscape, examining two types of museums that seemed particularly interesting in relation to the landscape – open-air museums of Scandinavian origin and ecomuseums, of French origin. We have traced the historical development, the theoretical basis and the different operating structures, critically evaluating their potential as a means of conservation and management of the landscape. With particular reference to the geographical debate on the concept of landscape, the principle potential for research, awareness and conservation would seem to derive from the ecomuseums rather than from the open-air museums, although elements of fragility frequently emerge when these principles are put into practice. These issues have therefore been examined with particular reference to the Italian context, characterised by the absence of open-air museums and by a recent and rapid spread of ecomuseums. At present it seems premature to draw up a definitive report on the role played by the Italian ecomuseums in the management and safeguarding of the landscape, since the majority of them are still in the initial phases. Nonetheless it is possible to present some critical considerations on the basis of the classification of the Italian ecomuseums in relation to the role assigned to the landscape in their themes and activities, and on the basis of a detailed analysis of one case study: l’Ecomuseo dei terrazzamenti e della vite, created in 1999 and dedicated to the characteristic landscape of the terraced vineyards of Cortemilia in the Langhe.