Children, museums and cultural policies: the case of F@MU

Despite the empirical evidence on the increasing attention that cultural institutions - from museums to theatres, to libraries - pay to children and families, cultural demand by these targets has been relatively little investigated by literature, and official statistics in many countries offer limited information. The paper intends to contribute to the knowledge of cultural consumption of children and families with specific regard to the Italian context by analyzing and discussing in-depth data collected during the F@Mu National Day of Families at the Museum an event that every year involves 700 museums and thousands of children across the country. Through the analysis of the habits of children and families visiting museums, and their expectations on the services offered by these cultural institutions, the paper outlines some strategic considerations in terms of museum management and cultural policies.