Ecomuseums in the Mediterranean Area and the Promotion of Sustainable Food Systems

Abstract

In recent years, the growing interest in food as a central component of heritage preservation has been paired with a reflection on the sustainability of food systems. At the same time, place-based food governance has undergone processes of hybridization, opening up to a wider range of stakeholders. We argue that ecomuseums can positively contribute to the promotion of sustainable food systems that can preserve cultural heritage without undermining the development of healthy food systems. To discuss this hypothesis, we conducted an exploratory study to assess the current diffusion and food-related practices of ecomuseums in the Mediterranean area. Integrating the information of existing databases with online research of new institutions, we mapped a large sample of ecomuseums and carried out a Web Content Analysis. The main results of the research are a geolocalized map of Mediterranean ecomuseums and their activities and an index assessing their capacity to engage users on relevant topics through their webpages. The results highlight the existence of an unbalanced distribution of experiences, and the potential for growth, especially in the east and south of the Mediterranean countries.