This month I am going to take a little break from our normal articles and talk to you about something new that is happening with the Italian language. If you are familiar with Italian, you probably know that the language is way older than Italy as a country. What you probably don’t know is that Italian does not have an official institute stating what Italian is or where you can take language tests and certificates.

We have Accademia della Crusca which observes and studies what Italian speakers do, but it doesn’t really have the power to say what Italian should be or is. And we have different Universities giving out certificates but not at a more institutional level as the TOEFL or those given out by the Cambridge University. Well, I am so happy to say that Italy is finally taking a step forward towards promoting our beautiful language. For the 700^th anniversary of Dante’s death, Italy has decided to open the very first Museum of the Italian Language.

In honor of this anniversary, Italy has announced the starting of the renovation and construction work of the new museum, which aims to be the biggest language hub in Europe. The Minister of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, Dario Franceschini, together with the Mayor of Florence and other council members, has designated the church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence as the perfect location for the museum. It will be divided into two floors: the ground floor which will be about 6,500 ft² and will host a huge welcome hall and temporary exhibitions, and the first floor which will be about 15,000 ft², all beautifully decorated with incredible ceiling frescos, where there will be the permanent exhibition. However, this is only a part of the huge hub made up of 4 floors. For the ambitious project, the state has invested 45 millio euros, which will be used to redevelop the buildings that will host the new museum and other halls for national and international meetings. The new museum is a great step forwards and will be a meeting point where students, researchers, experts, but also aficionados of the Italian language can gather and exchange ideas and most importantly, learn more about the Italian language.

Florence was a natural choice for many reasons. But can you imagine a better gift to the Sommo Poeta (the Supreme Poet) than a Museum of the Italian language in his birthplace? It’s a celebration of the deep connection between Italian and the Florentine language, the grandmother of modern Italian, the starting point from which it all sprouted. But don’t be mistaken! The Museum will not only focus on the relation between Tuscany and Italian, on the contrary, it will be the testimony of a beautiful journey that started in 960 c.e. with the very first evidence of a document written in Italian, la Carta di Capua, all the way to modern days, tracing the contributions to creating an Italian language of all major authors: Dante, of course, but also, Boccaccio, Petrarch, Ariosto, Galilei, Leopardi, Manzoni, D’Annunzio, and Sciascia. But that’s not the finish line. The Museum will be a masterpiece of modernity and continuously evolve, just like a living language.

The best experts of the Italian language are taking part in the creation of the Italian Museum. Among the many, there are Luca Serianni, expert linguist, professor of History of the Italian language, and author of some of the most renowned Italian Grammar Books; the Accademia della Crusca, the Italian institution of Italian linguistics and philology whose job is to track the changes in the Italian language; the Treccani, the Istitute of the Italian Encyclopedia; the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, one of the oldest scientific institutions in Europe; and many, many other Italian libraries, societies, and institutions. Everyone has gotten together to finally give one of the best gifts to our language: a place in Italy where Italian is celebrated and promoted.

The location is also very strategical: not only is in the historical center of Florence and in one of the most famous building complexes of the city, but it is only a few blocks away from the train station and easy to reach. This way, Italians, tourists, and visitors can all have easy access to it. Next time you visit Italy, it must be on your lists! You have no excuse, getting there is super easy.

Well, what can I say? This might be one of my favorite articles so far. Why? Because as a language enthusiast, as a translator, and as an Italian lover, it makes me so happy to see Italians finally promoting and taking pride in showing off our language. I can’t wait for this museum to be completed. You can bet, I’ll visit as soon as it opens.