The Museums of Verona have a new director. "This city can become a cultural laboratory," says Lorenzo Balbi

Lorenzo Balbi, currently director of MAMbo in Bologna, has been appointed as the new director of the Musei di Verona, a civic museum network that includes the Arena di Verona, Casa di Giulietta, Museo Archeologico al Teatro Romano, Museo Civico di Storia naturale, Museo degli Affreschi di G. B. Cavalcaselle, Museo di Castelvecchio, Museo Lapidario Maffeiano, and Galleria d’Arte Moderna Achille Forti. He will take office in September 2026, selected for his strategic vision to revitalize the system as a hub for cultural production, civic participation, and international dialogue.

This appointment matters because Balbi brings nearly a decade of leadership at MAMbo and a track record of curating major exhibitions and fostering international partnerships. His mandate includes reforming the museum governance to grant greater autonomy, developing sustainable funding models, and balancing tourism with local engagement. The move signals Verona’s ambition to transform its museum network into a dynamic cultural laboratory, potentially influencing how Italian civic museums evolve in the future.