Heritage to Enjoy, Culture to Share: The Theme of the 2026 Edition

The ninth edition of RO.ME – Museum Exhibition, scheduled to take place in Rome from December 2 to 4, 2026, returns for the second consecutive year to the evocative setting of Corsie Sistine del Complesso Monumentale di Santo Spirito in Sassia, reaffirming the event’s connection to one of the most significant sites of the capital’s historical and architectural heritage.
A venue of particular historical and cultural significance, offering the ideal setting for discussions on the themes at the heart of the 2026 edition, which is dedicated to the relationship between cultural heritage, the visitor experience, and public participation.
The event’s program will focus on the theme “Heritage to Enjoy, Culture to Share,” which invites reflection on how the ways in which cultural heritage is experienced and shared have evolved. Museums, cultural sites, and cultural destinations are redefining their approach to engagement, combining preservation and promotion with a growing focus on the quality of the experience. Heritage is increasingly emerging as a space for connection, capable of engaging audiences through accessible forms of expression, active participation, and new opportunities for interaction and sharing.
In line with the definition of a museum adopted by ICOM in 2022, which recognizes pleasure as one of the goals of the museum experience, the theme “Heritage to Enjoy, Culture to Share” centers on a vision of cultural heritage as a living resource to be explored, experienced, and shared, promoting an experience that goes beyond the transmission of content and embraces connection, discovery, and participation. From this perspective, cultural venues are increasingly becoming welcoming, accessible, and dynamic spaces, capable of fostering new forms of engagement and sharing and of making heritage an integral part of the lives of individuals and communities.