Thesis title: Il Museo Utile: un’indagine sul ruolo delle istituzioni museali nella società contemporanea
This research examines the relationship between the museum and contemporary society, beginning with the transition from the traditional “Temple Museum” model to an institution increasingly required to demonstrate its public value. In this context, the thesis introduces the concept of the “useful museum” as a paradigm for interpreting museums as agents of cultural, social, environmental and economic transformation, questioning how they may evolve from custodians of the past to a “manifesto of the present and laboratory for the future”. Adopting a qualitative methodological approach that combines historical-theoretical analysis with the empirical assessment of museum practices, the study highlights the overcoming of the notion of the neutral museum in favour of an open, participatory model integrated within the social fabric. Through the in-depth study of the case of the Museo Egizio in Turin and the analysis of the professional role of the museum communicator, the research develops its original theoretical contribution: the model of the “useful museum”, articulated in four interconnected areas: Ethical-Civic, Professional-Interpretative, Relational and Generative. The empirical analysis validates the explanatory scope of this model, revealing how the social and political dimension is intrinsic to the functioning of museums and how they can be configured as laboratories of active citizenship. The thesis thus leads to the elaboration of a theoretical and operational framework that redefines the role of the museum as an institution of public utility, providing methodological tools for assessing the public value it generates. In this way, the work contributes to promoting more inclusive, responsible and, ultimately, “useful” institutions that enhance collective well-being and the democratic growth of contemporary society.