Covid-19: Florence mayor calls for museums to stay open as Tuscany turns orange

Florence: Florence mayor Dario Nardella has called on the newly-installed government of premier Mario Draghi to keep Italy’s museums open in the regions classified as medium-risk ‘orange zones’ under the country’s coronavirus restrictions.

The call from Nardella, comes as the regions of Abruzzo, Liguria, Tuscany and the province of Trento turn orange from 14 February.

The move will see the museums in the Tuscan capital close again after being open for the last five weeks while the region was classified as a lower-risk yellow zone.

Nardella told FirenzeToday that Italian museums would be able to remain safe places, even in orange zones:

“My appeal to Draghi is to keep at heart the destiny of museums, small or big, and to show the same attention for culture and art sites as was shown for schools.”

The closure of museums in Florence coincides with the recent unveiling of Bronzino’s allegorical portrait of Dante Alighieri at Palazzo Vecchio.

In orange zones, shops can stay open but bars and restaurants can only provide takeaway services, while museums and exhibitions must close to the public.

Most of Italy, including Rome, is currently classed as yellow, with museums and archaeological sites allowed to open Monday to Friday.

Here is the current picture of Italy’s regions and autonomous provinces, according to the colour-coded map, effective from 14 February.

Red zone (highest risk): No regions. There are local lockdowns in place in various towns and provinces including Perugia (Umbria) and Pescara and Chieti (Abruzzo).

Orange zone (medium risk): Abruzzo, Bolzano-Alto Adige (in lockdown), Liguria, Trento province, Sicily (set to turn yellow from 16 February) and Umbria.

Yellow zone (lower risk): Basilicata, Calabria, Campania (Naples), Emilia Romagna, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lazio (Rome), Lombardia (Milan), Marche, Molise, Piemonte (Turin), Sardinia, Valle d’Aosta, Veneto (Venice). White zone (lowest risk): No regions.