Conservation and management challenges in a public/private partnership for a large archaeological site (Herculaneum, Italy)

Abstract

The Herculaneum Conservation Project is an innovative public/private initiative to safeguard and conserve, to enhance, and to advance the knowledge, understanding and public appreciation of the archaeological site of Herculaneum, Italy. This article traces, from a project management perspective, how this collaborative venture was created and how it continues to evolve. The project is analysed as a response to the widespread and exponential decay that years of neglect had created in the archaeological site, as well as the financial, methodological and operational difficulties the public heritage authority faces in overcoming them. The innovative route adopted is outlined together with its particular operational advantages, primarily those of allowing a mixed public/private project team to launch the urgent remedial measures and establish the sustainable conservation strategies and maintenance models required to ensure Herculaneum does not die for a second time. After exploring the particular approaches adopted and briefly outlining what has been achieved to date, the author discusses the challenges that remain to ensure good conservation practice continues beyond the lifetime of the project. The conclusion examines the potential of the project, both as a public/private partnership model for site conservation and enhancement re-applicable elsewhere, and as a catalyst for wider improvements in the urban and cultural landscape surrounding Herculaneum itself.

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