How Crowdfunding makes Museum Value Relevant. An Italian University Museum Experience

This study has attempted to enlarge the debate on museums relevant function, in connection to their mission to contribute to the development of the civic society. The research idea has stemmed from the issue of museum accessibility, through measured observation of a co-creation project carried out by a University Museum of Lombardy (Italy) through a crowdfunding campaign. The research has aimed at exploring the many facets of crowdfunding as a tool for advocacy in engaging users, non-users and generic stakeholders, both for the legitimacy of the museum as a “forum” and for enabling a co-creation project. Findings have provided new insights about museum management practices and opened new research into the co-creation of “relevant museum value” under an interdisciplinary perspective and at the international level.