Gela, the museum reopens after five years but without custodians it risks remaining a symbolic event.

It was May 2021 when the over four thousand artifacts from the Archaeological Museum of Gela left their display cases to be packed, one by one, into sturdy wooden crates. This packing was necessary in anticipation of the demolition of the most recent wing of the building, constructed in 1984 without foundations and simply resting on the original structure from the 1950s, which indeed had foundations. However, the demolition did not happen immediately. The bulldozers were only seen two years later. And so, amid endless waits and sporadic work, the museum has remained closed to the public for five long years.

Five years marked by setbacks, shifting responsibilities, bureaucratic delays, changes in leadership, misunderstandings, and disagreements among the parties involved in the redevelopment. A story that has ultimately turned a necessary intervention into an obstacle course.

Now, finally, a glimmer of hope. During a meeting of the Technical-Scientific Committee of the Archaeological Park of Gela – which includes museums and archaeological sites throughout the Nisseno area – director Ennio Turco announced that the work is now in its final stages. "Efforts are underway to display the artifacts in the showcases", architect Turco communicated. A statement that, after years of silence and delays, sounds almost like a liberation.

The reopening is considered likely by the end of June. A good piece of news, certainly, but only halfway. Because while the museum will reopen, there will not be enough staff to keep it truly open.

Currently, there are only six custodians on duty, and by the end of the year, they will become four due to two planned retirements. An insufficient number even to guarantee the ordinary opening of the Museum of Greek Shipwrecks, inaugurated last February 24. It’s the usual too-short blanket: covering the head while leaving the feet exposed.

What will happen in June? Reduced shifts, alternate openings – one day one museum, the next day another – or stopgap solutions that risk turning a long-awaited reopening into a purely symbolic event, good for a few photos and little more.

The temptation to rely on volunteer associations is strong, but it cannot be the answer. Their role, by law and common sense, can only be support for the custodians, not a replacement. And so, as the display cases are filled again and the artifacts take their places, the prospect of a normal operation – with stable schedules and certain hours – remains shrouded in a cloud of uncertainty.

From the Region, there are currently no signals on how to address the crucial issue: providing museums with the necessary staff and ensuring proper management. Without a clear response, the risk is that the reopening of the Archaeological Museum, awaited for five years, will turn into yet another missed opportunity for the city.