The National Museum of Italian Judaism and the Shoah (MEIS) Foundation in Ferrara has started the process of incorporation of the Jewish Museum of Bologna (MEB) Foundation. The goal is to create a single hub with unified governance. The central headquarters will be located in Ferrara. “The core of this operation lies in the shared cultural mission of the two museums,” explained Guido Ottolenghi, president of both institutions. “Although they have different histories and identities, they both tell the story of Italian Judaism on a local, national, and international level. Also, both museums can count on the presence of representatives from institutions such as the Emilia-Romagna Region and the Union of Italian Jewish Communities.”
Ottolenghi added that the new organization will enable the museums to “collaborate successfully by sharing professional expertise, improving project coordination between Ferrara and Bologna, expanding and diversifying educational and cultural programs, and establishing themselves as a national benchmark.”
This experimental model does not preclude further collaborations and partnerships in the future.
The process began in early July with the boards of directors of the two museums approving the merger plan. Several formal steps will follow, including the approval of the new bylaws by the governing bodies of the two foundations, foremost among them the Ministry of Culture.