Museums and young people: national picture and the Trentino exception

Data analysis for 2022 indicates that less than half of Italian children aged 6 to 17 visited at least one museum in the previous year. The autonomous province of Trento, however, records a markedly higher participation rate.

• Italy (national average): about 4 children out of 10 (40%) visited a museum in the last year.
• Province of Trento: nearly 2 out of 3 minors, equal to 62%, the highest rate nationwide.
• Second region: Veneto, with 49%.
• Income gap: in low-income families only 11.3% of minors visited a cultural site, versus 36.9% in high-income households.
• Opening days: roughly 40% of Italian museums are open more than 250 days a year; in Trentino that share falls to 29%.
• Heritage: Italy has 61 UNESCO sites, highlighting the country's cultural richness.

Territorial and socio-economic differences show that access to museums is uneven: family income, local policies and educational offers strongly affect young people's participation.

Practical ideas to boost youth visits

• School partnerships: strengthen educational programs and collaborate with schools for targeted guided visits.
• Fees and concessions: offer discounts and free admission for low-income families or large households.
• Engaging activities: interactive workshops, multimedia trails and youth-oriented events can raise interest.
• Promotion: use digital channels and local networks to reach families and teachers.
• Accessibility: improve opening hours and services to foster participation even where museums open fewer days.

For museum professionals and local authorities, these indicators are useful to design targeted measures that increase young people’s access to cultural heritage.