Stefano Genovese, Community Manager for Lagopesole Castle. Photography © Stefano Genovese

1.What is your museum about and what are its challenges?

Through the structure and the findings of the excavations carried out in the minor courtyard, the museum of the Castle of Lagopesole (antiquarium) tells the story that went through this place from Roman times to Frederick II up to the Angevins who succeeded him.

The main challenges concern: innovation with multimedia projects during the visits and the performances to attract more visitors.

2.What kind of remarkable digital innovation would you like to share with us? It can be online and/or in your physical space.

In recent years, the “Castello” cooperative has focused heavily on innovation both in the offer within the physical space and on the network, especially through our social profiles, Facebook and Instagram. Innovation within the structure means organizing events during which the guided tour was enriched by historical animations (short shows with falconers, dancers, musicians, jugglers, recitation of poems, etc.) all live with figures in medieval costumes.

As for the web, we have tried to further promote the castle and its museum through Facebook in real time and by participating in initiatives such as #Museumweek, European Heritage Days, National Castle Day, the Wikimedia Italia photo contest and others.

3.What are the social media platforms that your museum chose for its digital presence and who are your primary target audiences?

The main platforms we regularly use are Facebook, Google, Instagram, Wikimedia and WhatsApp for contacts and chat. We generally target all targets but lately we are favoring schools and families.

4.If you had to keep one social media platform to reach youngsters, which one would you pick?

Certainly Instagram gives excellent results to reach a mainly young target.

5.Tell us how are you facing the coronavirus emergency with the museum? What strategies are you using.

We are in contact with our public, but the structure has been closed by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage until a later date.

6.Do you have a professional alter-ego somewhere in the world to whom you would like to ask a professional question?

I would like to know from my Scottish colleagues how even in small villages like ours they made contacts with a large number of visitors from all over the world to see their castles.

Interview by Fabio Pariante, journalist

MORE

Lagopesole Castle on social networks: Instagram – Facebook

After twenty years of activity in cultural associations and then in politics in Basilicata, Italy, Stefano Genovese is the Community Manager for Lagopesole Castle. Since 1986 the tourist cooperative Il Castello directed by Donata Carriero, has been taking care of the reception and guided visits to the site which collaborates with public and private institutions.