"The Uffizi was among the first museums to open on December 26th and not only will we do it again this year but, very rare, we will also have an opening on Monday January 2nd.
We were also the first or among the first museums to having made a partial opening on January 1st, a few years ago, with great success, especially as regards the afternoon entrances ".
Thus the director of the Uffizi, Eike Schmidt on the sidelines of an event in Florence, talking about the openings in the Christmas holidays.
With the journalists, Schmidt addressed various topics.
On the age-old question of the Arata Isozaki lodge (the shelter designed for the museum's exit), Schdmit left every decision to politics: "Making the Isozaki lodge was an apical political decision. And not doing the lodge will also be a decision. top policy "," it is not up to the director of the Uffizi to make such a decision. When a decision, in one direction or another, is taken, then it is clear that I will have to adapt and follow it, this is my task ".
Furthermore, answering those who asked him if he will do the competition as director of the museum, he said: "I haven't even thought about it, there is a lot to do here, there are many projects to be carried out so it is too early to announce a decision. will see in about a year. This is not the time to talk about this eventual theme ", while on a possible invitation to the Minister of Culture, Gennaro Sangiuliano - after the controversy over the closure of Ognissanti - to visit the Uffizi, Schmidt replied that "He will certainly be there, I will be happy, we do not need special invitations from the managers".
The announcement of staff recruitment in museums "is an extremely important first step. Not only I but all of us who work in Italian museums, libraries and archives, are very grateful for this quick action", moreover "with Vittorio Sgarbi, undersecretary I hear from Culture on a regular basis. I am very happy that Vittorio has fought this battle, which is also his with regard to the hiring necessary to be able to open museums".
