Federica SANTAGATI

Federica SANTAGATI is an Associate Professor of Museology and Art and Restoration Criticism (SSD ARTE-01/D) at the Department of Humanities, University of Catania. She has also taught at other Italian institutions including the University of Mediterranean Studies of Reggio Calabria and the University of Enna “Kore.” Her academic work is deeply integrated with institutional leadership, particularly as the scientific director of the Museum of the Factory of the Benedictine Monastery, part of the University of Catania’s Museum System.

Her research interests focus on museology, cultural heritage, museum education, and accessibility. She is particularly interested in best practices for museum management, inclusive design for people with disabilities, and the role of university museums in promoting local cultural heritage. She has organized international conferences under ICOM and MINOM frameworks and is an active member of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) Committee on University Museums and Collections, the European Academic Heritage Network, and ICOM Italy’s thematic commission on Museum Personnel, Training, and Updating.

Federica Santagati has published extensively on museological theory, the history of collecting, 19th–20th century exhibition practices, and the interpretation of university museums by ANVUR. Her recent work emphasizes community engagement, local identity, and interdisciplinary approaches to cultural heritage, including collaborations with library and archive sciences. She designed a section on the history of language for Città della Scienza, integrating cultural content into a scientific-technological context.

She supervises numerous theses on diverse topics such as museum decolonization, digital communication during the pandemic, accessibility, and historical sites like the Nelson Castle and the Benedictine Monastery museum project. She emphasizes rigorous academic standards, requiring students to follow detailed guidelines and maintain regular contact via email.

• Scientific Director, Museum of the Factory of the Benedictine Monastery
• Member, ICOM Committee on University Museums and Collections
• Member, European Academic Heritage Network
• Member, ICOM Italy Commission on Museum Personnel, Training, and Updating

She has led advanced training courses on local cultural heritage at the University of Catania’s Advanced School, involving public administrators and interdisciplinary teams. Current research includes a museological re-evaluation of Admiral Horatio Nelson’s home in Bronte and the Historical Museum of the Carabinieri in Rome.