“Erasmus+ for Adult Education”, ref. no. 2021-1-RO01-KA121-ADU-00008680
Implemented by the National History Museum of Romania (MNIR) in the period 1st of September 2021 – 30th of November 2022, financed by the European Union, through the project Erasmus+ with the amount of 57.830,00 Euro.
The Florentine Museum and Institute of Prehistory was founded in 1946 by the palethnologist Paolo Graziosi in order to preserve and enhance the prehistoric collections from various sources existing in Florence.
It had, as it has to this day, the purpose of promoting new research in the field of prehistory, of undertaking studies, of the preservation of archaeological materials, and of promoting instructional and educational activities. In addition to being an exhibition facility, the Museum has over time increased its profile as a research institute in the field of prehistory. Today it is included among the Museums of excellence in the Region of Tuscany and boasts collaborations with prestigious museums and academic institutions both national and international.
Housed in the historic building of the Oblate convent, the museum preserves records on the oldest cultural expressions of the genus Homo, human and animal fossil remains, attributable to the entire arch of prehistory, from the Palaeolithic to the Metal Ages. The findings come from excavations and research conducted in Italy, Europe and Africa (see “Collections”).
Initially reserved only for specialists of the prehistoric, the Museum collections became accessible to the public in 1975. In 1998 the Museum underwent renovations which finalized the creation of new exhibition areas, currently redeveloped by means of a system of multimedia stations that make the itinerary easy to use, also in the case of visitors with disabilities.
In addition to the collections on display to the public, the Museum preserves large collections of palaeontological and palethnological materials in its depositories, ordered and classified, and made available to scholars.
The Museum’s collections include materials deriving from research in Italy and abroad, carried out by Paolo Graziosi as well as other scholars. In part these materials (artefacts, artistic objects, documentation of the funeral rite, fauna, etc.) are on display, while the majority are conserved in the Museum’s repositories. They illustrate the history of the genus Homo, which appeared in Africa about 2.5 million years ago, throughout the period of Prehistory, up to the use of writing.
In the exhibit itinerary the collections follow the chronological criterion of the chrono-cultural macrophases: Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, Copper Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age. Some particular themes are highlighted in detail and particular attention is given to the artistic events, with original pieces and replicas.
Some important lots are part of historical collections related to early research on the Palaeolithic in France, on Neolithic pile dwellings in Switzerland, on certain Terramare cultures of the Bronze Age, and on the prehistory of Africa and Asia. The collections are accessible to scholars of prehistoric archaeology and are also made available for university education.
The Museum possesses an important gallery of plaster casts relating to prehistoric works of art and funerary evidence. The realistic replicas are made available, on request, for temporary exhibitions and for events of social archaeology aimed at the accessibility of cultural heritage.
The “Paolo Graziosi” Archive is an important asset, property of the Museum, which includes a large quantity of documents (correspondence, excavation journals, photographs, negatives, press proofs, study notes, etc.) related to Graziosi’s research in Italy, Europe, Asia and Africa, beginning in 1928. Those related to prehistoric art are of particular interest. The archive is accessible to scholars, by reservation.
During the job stadowing program we participated in two work shops organized for a group of about 12 people with Down syndrome and various psychiatric disorders, who came accompanied by specialized staff to the premises of the Museum and the Florentine Institute of Prehistory ”Paolo Graziosi”. Each work shop comprised two stages, a first theoretical component, when the participants were presented with information and objects of historical value, and a period of time during which they carried out manual work activities, using various office materials.
The first work shop dealt with Neolithic statues and their use as cult objects. Participants learned about how the figurines were made and were given replicas of the artefacts to see the geometry and decoration of the objects. Also during the guided tour, people had the opportunity to touch replicas of tools and materials used to make the statues. For the practical activity the participants were given clay and had 30 minutes to model their own figurines.
The second work shop was dedicated to rock art and how prehistoric people chose to represent themselves and their environment. The activity started by showing photographs of rupestrian paintings and involving group members in identifying and assigning roles to the people depicted. The opinions expressed by the participants were recorded to obtain a storytelling, which was used to present a short play for which puppets were used. The meeting continued with a guided tour of the permanent exhibition which aimed to present everyday objects made of flint, obsidian, bone, horn and ceramics. The theoretical part was followed by a painting workshop, where participants were invited to use prehistoric-like colours to create works similar to the cave images in the exhibition.
During the two workshops we observed a proactive attitude of the employees of the Florentine Institute of Prehistory ”Paolo Graziosi” and a constant care for the participants. I really appreciated the human interaction, the way a dialogue was established with vulnerable people and the communication process as a whole. At the same time we noticed the ability of the staff to manage efficiently the material and time resources, the pedagogical quality of the activities and the concrete results obtained for the benefit of vulnerable people.
Also, the stage at the Museo e Instituto Fiorentino di Preistoria gave us the opportunity to closely observe not only the museum education programmes for children, adults and people with fewer opportunities, but also the relationship between the local authorities and the museum.
The Council of Tuscany provides funding for museums that have an inclusive policy and that offer educational programmes for people with reduced possibilities: people with Down’s syndrome; autism; visually impaired; hearing impaired; seniors or primary and secondary school children. Small museums such as the Museo e Instituto Fiorentino di Preistoria are organised in a network to increase their visibility and to be able to offer coherent programmes that respond to the real needs of people in the community. Museums that have this type of educational activities also receive a score based on the degree of inclusion, activities and projects they carry out, on the basis of which they receive funding from the Council of the Region of Tuscany.
So the regional authority has an important role in organising, funding and running educational activities in museums, but at the same time it gives a lot of freedom to museums to come up with initiatives on educational projects that increase the level of inclusion in the community.
In addition to the museum education activities that were included in the first part of the day, we also had guided tours of museums in Florence such as the Museo e Istituto Florentino di Preistoria ”Paolo Granziosi”, Museo Galileo, Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Firenze, Museo di Storia Naturale di Firenze and Museo di Anthropology and Ethnology. All these tours were essential for us, not only because we discussed the technical details (how they organize permanent or temporary exhibitions or guided tours), but also from a cultural point of view, because at each visit there was an exhibition or an exhibit that caught our attention.
We also took advantage of other important attractions of the city and visited: Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, Le Gallerie degli Uffizi, Palazzo Vecchio and Piazzale Michelangelo; the Duomo of Florence; San Miniato al Monte; the Duomo Baptistery; Ponte Vechio and others. We can say that the job shadowing internship at the Museo e Istituto Florentino di Preistoria gave us the opportunity to step out of our comfort zone and participate in a series of educational activities in a museum context for beneficiaries with fewer opportunities, but we were able to observe and assimilate a series of methods used in these activities, as well as the spaces and logistics used.
We also had the opportunity to create new connections with specialists from other museums that we can join in new projects in the future, as well as to exchange methods and ideas on educational activities in a museum context in order to increase the level of inclusion and diversification of educational activities.
Participants in the job shadowing stage:
Roaită Flavius Nicolae – musegrapher IA in the „Radu Florescu” National Center for Research and Documentation in Museographical Field
Grumeza Andrei – museographer II in the Public Relations and Cultural Marketing department
Trifu Andrei-Marius – museographer II in the Public Relations and Cultural Marketing department
Semeniuc Ciprian Andrei – volunteer in the Public Relations and Cultural Marketing department
“Erasmus+ for Adult Education”.
Also, this year, the National Museum of Romanian History implemented the project with ref. no. ref. 2023-1-RO01-KA121-ADU-000126616 – Erasmus Plus (the 3rd year), funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ program (2021-2027), facilitating the participation of employees and not only, in structured courses aimed at volunteer management through museum services.
An Erasmus Plus experience in Sabbioneta, Italy
Mălăncioiu Raluca Elena
Personally, I gained more experience in this field by taking part in one of the structured courses on volunteer management organized in Italy, from 1 to 12 June 2024, in the UNESCO site Sabbioneta, the „Eternal City „,”Novella Roma” of the 16th century. The previous mobilities I have participated in under the Erasmus+ for Adult Education program consisted of job shadowing internships at the Museo e Instituto Fiorentino di Preistoria in Florence, Italy (2022) and at the Museum of Archaeology of Zagreb in Croatia (2023). Each of them were unforgettable experiences, in which many positive energies were concentrated, both in terms of theoretical and practical knowledge assimilated, as well as from a social point of view: as a result of the bonds that developed between the colleagues participating in these internships, the interaction with them, this time out of the usual context of the routine of a familiar, common environment, as well as the interaction with colleagues from abroad who hosted and guided us in the program organized in the other participating museums. After a subjective evaluation, participating in the course on volunteer management in museum institutions was one of the most prolific challenges in terms of the occupational side, as a museographer in the situation of receiving and managing volunteers in museum activities. Various topics on volunteering in general, clearly and gradually structured, the concepts underlying the work of volunteers in public institutions, the benefits of volunteering, as well as the shortcomings, the obstacles to be overcome in the activities in which volunteers are involved, were defined and explained. The constructive debates, the interactive approach, the playful moments and, last but not least, the classroom in which we carried out most of our daily activities, one of the rooms of the Sabbioneta Municipal Library, opened in the Forti Palace, relatively recently, in 2005, a welcoming, spacious and impressive room with a particular neoclassical mural dating back to the end of the 18th century, ensured the success of the training and the positive impact on the participating trainees.
The practice of volunteering has fully demonstrated the necessity, importance and benefits of volunteering, and is becoming increasingly useful both to the individual involved and to society. The structured course we went through covered effective methods of recruiting and managing volunteers, both in a narrow museum sector key, but also in a broader one, at the level of public institutions and society in general. The benefits of choosing to be a volunteer (make new friends and contacts, increase your social and relationship skills, be an example for your children, cultivating happiness, advance in your career, gaining experience, try something new, see new places, new countries, with different culture and so on) go hand in hand with the advantages of the institutions that implements volunteer programs (volunteering helps organizations – providing cost-effective manpower, essential for budget-limited organizations, fostering innovation with fresh ideas and adaptive approaches, enhancing the organization’s reputation and credibility).
Volunteering is important because it benefits your local community by: delivering essential services and filling resource gaps, acting as a catalyst for community development, encouraging active citizenship and community responsibility, encouraging civic engagement and a more active citizenry, providing economic benefits through improved employability.
The UNESCO Sabbioneta site where I had the opportunity to attend the course on volunteer management is one of the examples of good practice, of the methods through which the community gets involved in preserving local culture, while at the same time absorbing funds to increase their living standards, practicing volunteering to preserve their cultural values. Relatively recently inscribed alongside Mantua on the UNESCO World Heritage List, Sabbioneta has a small community, with around 300 inhabitants of the historic town (Intramuros) and over 4000 inhabitants of the whole commune. On the site of a Roman fortress, the Germanic built a defensive castle in the 11th century, where the Dukes of Mantua later resided in the 15th century. Under Duke Vespasiano Gonzaga Gonzaga Collona (1531-1591), the small village of Sabbioneta was transformed into the eclectic town, the ideal neo-Renaissance citadel that made the town famous. Unfortunately, the death of the duke will be a harming moment for the „New Rome” which will slowly and surely decline. The current site is a resurrection of the eternal city that Vespasian had built, preserving the memory of the man who had borne the Order of the Golden Fleece, the most prestigious order of the 16th century.
The structure of the course included guided visits to the most important monuments of Sabbioneta: Palazzo Ducale, Palazzo Giardino, Il Teatro All’Antica, the first public ancient-style stage, the Church of Beata Vergine Incoronata where is the Vespasiano’s Mausoleum, other religious buildings, including the Synagogue of the Jewish Sabbioneta’s community.
Last but not least we enjoyed the cuisine of Sabbioneta, which is said that is anythig but ordinary and drink the dark red Lambrusco wine, mentioned by Virgil himself, the flagship wine of the Northern Italy region.
The whole experience in Sabbioneta was about understanding that working with volunteers make the positive difference in society. Sabbioneta is one of the positive examples of how many beautiful things can happen when you are a volunteer in your own town and give a hand for preserving your culture. And the most amazing thing was that we found all these, thanks to Erasmus + program, just in a few, but wonderful days.
De reținut!
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României lansează periodic apeluri pentru a-și completa echipele de proiect cu voluntari și colaboratori. Aceștia pot participa, după caz, la mobilități internaționale de învățare (cursuri de formare și stagii de job shadowing) în cadrul proiectelor finanțate prin programul Erasmus Plus, în proiecte de solidaritate sau la activități specifice de promovare a patrimoniului cultural și de educație muzeală.
Keep in mind!
The National Museum of Romanian History periodically calls for volunteers and collaborators to complete its project teams! They can participate, as appropriate, in international learning mobilities (training courses and job shadowing stahes) within the framework of projects funded by the Erasmus + programs, in solidarity projects or in specific activities to promote the cultural heritage and museum education.
“Erasmus+ for Adult Education”.
Also, this year, the National Museum of Romanian History implemented the project with ref. no. ref. 2023-1-RO01-KA121-ADU-000126616 – Erasmus Plus (the 3rd year), funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ program (2021-2027), facilitating the participation of employees and not only, in structured courses aimed at volunteer management through museum services.
Parco Archeologico di Paestum e Velia, located in Paestum-Capaccio, Italy
Andrei-Marius Trifu
Andrei Grumeza
Alin-Victor Popa
From March 25 to March 30 2024, we participated in a job shadowing stage at the Parco Archeologico di Paestum e Velia, located in Paestum-Capaccio, in the Campania region of Italy. This job shadowing stage took place in the framework of the EAE 3/Erasmus + project, with the reference number 2023-1-RO01-KA121-ADU000126616, funded by the European Union.
The main objective of this mobility was to observe and analyze the methods used by the Italian partners to understand the behavior of adult museum beneficiaries, with the aim of increasing the number of visitors and improving their experience by diversifying cultural and educational activities.
During the stage, we had the opportunity to explore in depth two essential aspects of modern museum management: methods of visitor management and the outsourcing of marketing and advertising services. Both strategies have been successfully implemented at the Parco Archeologico di Paestum e Velia, contributing significantly to the objectives of accessibility and cultural inclusion.
In terms of visitor management, the Paestum Museum has adopted a number of innovative measures, outsourcing some key services. One of the most notable methods has been the training of external tour guides, who are prepared to conduct guided tours of the exhibitions.
This approach not only ensures the high quality of the information provided to the visitors, but also the flexibility to adapt tours according to the needs and interests of different visitor groups.
The museum has also facilitated access to services through online ticketing and devices at the entrance, thus reducing waiting times and increasing the efficiency of visitor flow management. Furthermore, the use of the mobile application „Paestum e Velia” allowed visitors to access detailed information about the archaeological sites, providing digital and personalized assistence, thus contributing to an interactive and informative museum experience.
Another successful method used is the organization of educational workshops for students, carried out in collaboration with local authorities, whose contribution consisted in providing free transportation between the two archaeological sites, an initiative that promoted not only cultural access but also the inclusion of students from different social backgrounds.
In addition to these initiatives, the museum provides additional facilities for visitors, such as catering areas and on-site accommodation. These spaces, managed in collaboration with local authorities and local entrepreneurs, have been set up in private areas inside the site, thus offering a complete and comfortable experience to visitors and contributing to the attractiveness of the archaeological site.
In terms of marketing and advertising, Parco Archeologico di Paestum e Velia opted for the method of outsourcing these services to the agency „Postilla Marketing”. Through this collaboration, the agency has developed a series of promotional materials and branding campaigns aimed at attracting more visitors and increasing the visibility of the museum online and offline.
The initiatives include social media posts, promotional videos, interviews with museum staff, but also a complete set of commercial materials such as t-shirts, bags, magnets, postcards, publications and coloring books, all integrated under the brand „Paestum e Velia”, an innovative concept entirely developed by these collaborators.
Collaboration with local authorities was also essential in promoting the museum and the archaeological site, with banners and posters placed near the museum inviting tourists to discover the archaeological park. Another high-impact method was the fundraising campaign, which gave history enthusiasts the opportunity to „adopt” a piece of heritage, contributing financially to its restoration, conservation and valorization. This campaign not only increased community involvement, but also raised the museum’s profile at regional, national and even international level.
In conclusion, the job shadowing stage at Paestum has provided valuable insight into how beneficiary management methods and outsourced marketing services can be used to enhance the visitor experience and attract a wider audience. The implementation of these innovative methods has demonstrated that museums can overcome contemporary challenges through strategic collaborations and creative solutions, thus securing a central role in promoting cultural heritage.
