Baldini Library and Municipal Museums increasingly at the heart of Santarcangelo’s cultural life

Approximately 25,000 participants in FoCuS-organized events in 2024

Mayor Sacchetti: “Working on multiple fronts to strengthen cultural institutions”

After the extraordinary efforts in 2023 for the renovation of facilities thanks to PNRR funding, 2024 marked a return for the Fondazione Culture Santarcangelo (FoCuS) to organizing cultural events and activities, which saw a total participation of about 25,000 people. Alongside the regular initiatives offered by the Baldini Library and the Municipal Museums, highlights included the “Frazioncine” festival in collaboration with Pro Loco and Cinema du Desert, the centennial celebrations for Flavio Nicolini and Raffaello Baldini, and participation with videomapping at the Città Viva New Year’s Eve event.

The Baldini Library recorded 148,581 total visits in 2024 (+6% compared to 2023) over 304 open days, averaging 489 visits per day. Of the 30,077 registered users as of December 31, 2024, there were 592 new registrations last year, and the number of active users—those with at least one loan during 2024—was 3,962, up by 55 compared to 2023. The most used service continues to be book lending, with a total of 27,842 loans—22,600 books and 5,242 audiovisual materials—averaging 92 loans per day. Study room visits saw a sharp increase, with 10,215 users compared to 6,460 in 2023 (+58%), averaging 37 users per day. Additionally, 41 school activities involved 934 students.

Cultural initiatives also increased—270 in 2024 compared to 200 in 2023—organized or hosted by the Baldini Library, involving 6,270 participants versus 5,000 the previous year. These included book presentations (including the “Letture Liminali” series), storytelling sessions, workshops, lectures, training courses—including fablab workshops—exhibitions, and meetings of six active reading groups (three for adults and three for children/youth). The most read adult books were “Cambiare l’acqua ai fiori” by Valérie Perrin and “Il re del gelato” by Cristina Cassor, while among children’s fiction, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling topped the list. The most requested film was “Dune” by Denis Villeneuve.

For the Municipal Museums, 2024 was a special year: with the MET museum closed, visitor numbers only reflect those at MUSAS, which recorded 3,400 visitors during the year. However, from March onward, the Ethnographic Museum hosted events in its renovated garden and guided tours of the storerooms, reorganized to improve accessibility and usability thanks to PNRR funds. Overall, 3,740 people participated in initiatives organized by the two museums (+33% compared to 2023). Adding MUSAS visitors, the total attendance reached 7,140 people, compared to 8,000 the previous year when the MET was open for ten months.

Notable cultural activities at the museums included exhibitions—especially the tambourine exhibition and the ongoing “Lineare” show—which together attracted over 400 visitors; bookcrossing activities with more than 350 participants in 12 monthly meetings; and courtyard events at MUSAS. The MET garden hosted events such as “WeReading,” “Jazz al Met,” and the Puppet Festival, which alone drew over 800 spectators. Other events focused on rural traditions (over 450 attendees at the Peasant New Year, the Grape Harvest Festival, and the Wheat Festival), along with exhibitions and workshops involving schools, teachers, and universities, with over 370 participants.

“At the end of 2024, FoCuS renewed its board of directors, with whom we will work in the coming years to further enhance the city’s cultural institutions,” stated Filippo Sacchetti, mayor and Culture delegate. “Several lines of work have already begun or are under evaluation: efforts to increase museum opening hours, particularly at MUSAS, will take shape through expanded collaboration with Pro Loco, and plans to extend the Baldini Library’s hours are under consideration. The goal is to strengthen and make Santarcangelo’s cultural hubs even more accessible and vibrant, also through a Strategic Cultural Plan that we are developing—and will soon present to the city,” concluded the mayor.