Federica SANTAGATI
Professor of Museology (L-Art / 04) at the University of Catania, she also taught Museology at other Italian university universities (Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria, University of Enna "Kore").
She is the scientific director of the Museo della Fabbrica of the Benedictine monastery (Museum System of the University of Catania); she is a member of the Committee of the University Museums and Collections (International Council of Museums), and also of the European Academic Heritage Network; she is part of some working groups of these international bodies and of the thematic commission of ICOM Italia Museum staff, training and updating.
She has published various essays on museology in national and international journals, in conference proceedings, in collective volumes. Her researches concern training of artists, the history of collecting, as well as the organization and preparation of museums and exhibitions between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. In the course of her research, she also focused attention on the organization and functioning of public and private museums, including the most innovative communication models. She is interested in the exchange of "good practices" in the museum environment, especially related to museum quality standards and the use of museums by people with physical disabilities. For Città della Scienza, a museum of the University of Catania, she worked on the design of a section linked to the history of language, inserted in the scientific-technological context of this science center.
She studied in depth the issues related to the collections and university museums, with a particular focus on the third mission of the museums, analyzing the key applied up to now by ANVUR to university museum structures. More recently, as part of the fruition and enhancement of museums, it has been interested in the development of innovative practices linked to the territory and aimed at involving local communities, institutions and different publics, for the purpose of understanding the relative artistic and cultural heritage identity. She has carried out interdisciplinary research on local museums and, in collaboration with colleagues from Biblioteconomia and Archivistica (according to the lines suggested by the national coordination MAB - Museums, Archives, Libraries), has organized a course at the High School of the University of Catania on fruition of the cultural heritage of the territory, involving in the frequency of lessons also members of local public administrations operating in this field. She is currently conducting a study on the home of Admiral Horace Nelson located in the Municipality of Bronte, to relaunch the collections through a museological analysis.
Professor of Museology (L-Art / 04) at the University of Catania, Prof. Federica Santagati has also taught Museology at two other Italian university universities: the Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria and ‘Kore’, the University of Enna.
Prof. Santagati is the science director of the Museo della Fabbrica of the Benedictine monastery (Museum System of the University of Catania); she is a member of the Committee of University Museums and Collections (International Council of Museums), and also of the European Academic Heritage Network. Moreover, she is involved with various working groups of these international bodies and has served on a theme-based committee of ICOM Italy regarding the training and professional development of museum staff.
Prof. Santagati has organised international conferences (ICOM, MINOM). She has published various articles on museology in national and international journals, conference proceedings and collective volumes. Her research concerns the training of artists, the history of collecting, as well as the organization and preparation of museums and exhibitions between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. One volume deals with the collections and displays of the Museo Nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia, (the National Etruscan Museum) in Rome.
In the course of her research, she has also focused attention on the organization and functioning of public and private museums, including the most innovative communication models. She is interested in the exchange of ’good practices’ in the museum environment, especially related to standardized levels of quality for museums and improved museum accessibility for people with disabilities. For the Città della Scienza, a science centre of the University of Catania, she worked on the design of a section linked to the history of language, inserted in the scientific-technological context of this science centre.
Prof. Santagati has made in-depth studies of the issues related to collections and university museums, with a particular focus on the third mission of museums, analyzing the framework that ANVUR has applied to university museum structures up to now. More recently, with a view to enhancing museum accessibility and public engagement, her focus has been on fostering innovative, region-specific practices to engage local communities, institutions and various audiences, in an effort to understand the unique artistic and cultural heritage identity of the region. She has carried out interdisciplinary research on local museums and, in collaboration with colleagues from Biblioteconomia and Archivistica (following the guidelines suggested by the national coordination of MAB – Museums, Archives and Libraries), she organized a course at the Scuola Superiore of the University of Catania which focused on exploring ways to engage with the cultural heritage of the region; the course was also attended by members of local public administrations operating in this field.
Prof. Santagati is currently conducting a study on the Castello di Nelson, the erstwhile home of the descendants of Admiral Horace Nelson located in the Municipality of Bronte, to relaunch the collections through a museological analysis. She is also carrying out research on the Museo Storico dell'Arma dei Carabinieri (the historical museum of the Carabinieri – the Italian Police Force) in Rome.