Happy 10th Birthday Port Museum of Tricase! The first decade of activity for the Port Museum of Tricase Porto – Ecomuseum of Venus, example of diffused musealization in the Mediterranean – The Port Museum of Tricase is an “innovative idea of a Mediterranean community“, according to the declarations of Antonio Errico, President of the Magna Grecia Mare Association who, together with the CIHEAM Bari and the Municipality of Tricase, have jointly contributed to the affirmation of this experience of revitalisation for the coastal communities that in 2024 celebrates the first ten years since its formal establishment as Port Museum.
Indeed, what exactly is a Port Museum?
To grasp what a Port Museum is – if you have never been to Tricase Porto yet to experience it firsthand – you have to forget what a conventional museum is. When we hear this word, we are used to imagine a physical place, such as a building or a site where something historical, artistic and, in general, ancient is preserved.
The Port Museum of Tricase is instead a living and dynamic place, and this concept of diffused musealization expands the conventional concept of museum. Indeed, it is not only a place where the physical infrastructures are rebuilt, however it is a harbour in which the culture, traditions, habits, and histories of the community of Tricase Porto are conserved and restored in these same places. Actually, it is not a Museum of the Port, but it is the concept of the Port as cultural and traditional community sphere that has been musealized, that means preserved and restored.
Still not clear?
Indeed, it is a very original concept that may require further elaboration. To better understand, let’s take a step back in time.
The tenth years journey of the Port Museum of Tricase begun with the spontaneous purpose of a local group of young people who had a vision about the future of this small place: to give back to the harbour its ancient identity. Indeed, they were willing to make Tricase Porto again a place of cultural exchange and not just a physical infrastructures where boats arrive and then leave. Indeed, the harbours in the Mediterranean have always contributed to make it a sea of cultural interconnection among humanities, not just a place of trade and business. This is still the mission of this group of people who founded the Magna Grecia Mare Association, involving many people in this adventure and inviting everyone to follow their route.
With the recognition of the Port Museum as Ecomuseum of Venus, Tricase Porto has turned back in time by travelling in the future with an incredible advanced model of territorial and communitarian revitalisation: it is a place where the coastal community could get to know its history, preserve its traditions and culture but mostly importantly could experience these, since the physical infrastructures are the scenario in which these breath and resist to the passage of time and the abandonment of ancient identities.
The tangible heritage of the Port Museum consists of infrastructures and sites that have been restored. By walking on the main dock of the port, you can find a small door who brings you into the old cistern of the harbour – the Cisternone of the Port – that by collecting rainwater and groundwater served the entire community and the visitors mooring on Tricase Porto’s harbour. Since it is no longer operative as cistern, it is commonly used for art and music exhibitions.
The Rena e le Sette Bocche complex is the most ancient landing site of the harbour. The small beach is surrounded by 7 natural and man-excavated caves, that were used for stocking the huge amount of goods traded in Tricase Porto since 400 b.C. It is now used for concerts, arts exhibitions and public events.
Furthermore, the Antica Scuola San Luigi of Borgo Pescatori – the small fishing village located in Tricase Porto – has been requalified as an international arts and crafts Atelier and Artistic residence for artists and artisans, trainers and communicators visiting or working in the Port Museum.
As stated before, the main mission of the Port Museum is to preserve the traditions and culture of the community. The Permanent Cultural Center on Ancient Sea Traditions, The Municipal School of Lateen Sailing and Ancient Seafaring, the Museum of Sea Art and Traditional Boats play a crucial role in preserving ancient traditions related to Sea Art and Sea Culture, and in transferring these cultural knowledge to young generations and visitors.
Lastly, the Port Museum has been usually the scenario for public and cultural events, concerts, and dance performances contributing to the idea of making Tricase Porto not just an harbour, but a place of culture.
Due to the huge work that has been done in Tricase Porto, it has become an international point of reference especially due to the input given by the CIHEAM, that has decided to establish a separated Outpost of its Apulian headquarters there. The CIHEAM Bari has indeed crucially contributed the international recognition of the relevant example of the Port Museum in the Mediterranean and in the rest of the world. CIHEAM Bari organizes advanced training courses for representatives of governments and international institutions and manages multiple international cooperation programs. Due to this, Tricase Porto is the destination of numerous visitors from all over the world, fascinated by this original example of sustainable development of coastal community.
The model of Port Museum of Tricase – Ecomuseum of Venus can be an inspiring example for coastal communities around the world whose are willing to find an innovative way to preserve themselves as a community of people holding around a common culture, history, and a shared territory.
While reaching its first decade of activity, the possibilities for the Port Museum of Tricase to continue adapting to the challenges of the future are infinite, being it a breathing and living “culture of landscape, and a landscape of culture”.
Happy 10th Birthday Port Museum of Tricase! The first decade of activity for the Port Museum of Tricase Porto – Ecomuseum of Venus, example of diffused musealization in the Mediterranean
