MusLi (Museums Literacy) - Fondazione Fitzcarraldo

TEAHOUSE OF NATIONALITIES
Key points of interest
MusLi - No qualifications needed: museums and new audiences
motivation
The events have given an opportunity to the different communities to show their values, culture
and its institutions. They were reassured about their own importance in society and the interests
of people with other nationalities.
The audience were shown how to participate in cultural events without fear of feeling inferior.
They had the opportunity to spend time with other people, to get to know new things about their
culture and even to make comments.
communication/contact
Contact with the audience was through the existing ‘Museum Friends Club’ and by leaflets, flyers
in the museum, and ads in different cultural promotional sites. Word of mouth was a very
useful tool in making connections and in audience recruitment.
museums language/mediation
The language of the events had no special vocabulary, only the particular expressions and idioms
of the targeted nationalities, though other communication channels, like dance, songs, poetry,
films and food tasting have added a special ‘flavour’ to these events. The evenings provided
a good opportunity for people to ask and answer questions, to enter into a dialogue.
kind of experience proposed (also additional and supplementary elements)
Both participants in the cultural events and people in the audience were shown a good example
of the museum being used as a community space, where lively activities can take place too.
The events provided a good example of lifelong learning activity through story telling, traditional
culture and cuisine, which were also a great attraction for museum visitors. The activities also
reinforced the belief, for visitors and organizers, that sharing someone’s own culture is not just
for the benefit of the observers but for the person involved in it as well.
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