Estrategias para la reapertura de siete museos en la ciudad de Cuenca en el contexto de la pandemia por COVID-19

Abstract

This study analyzes the strategies taken for the reopening, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, of seven museums in the city of Cuenca: Museo de Arte Religioso Catedral Vieja, Museo de las Conceptas, Museo del Sombrero de Paja Toquilla, Museo Municipal de Arte Moderno, Museo Municipal Remigio Crespo Toral, Museo y Parque Arqueológico Pumapungo y Reserva y Museo de las Artes Populares de América-CIDAP. These museums were selected because until before the pandemic they were operating regularly and are part of the Route of museums of the Municipal Tourism Foundation for Cuenca, the entity in charge of tourism in the city. The methodology used for this research was mixed. The qualitative approach allowed access to information through the development of semi-structured interviews with museum managers and field visits to demonstrate the biosecurity measures implemented by each museum. In addition, data collection verified the activity carried out by the establishments on social networks. The quantitative approach of the research allowed a statistical representation of the number of in-person visitors registered in the museums under study, during the period from September 2020 to March 2021. The study provides information about the first actions of museum staff in the face of indefinite closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also summarizes the strategies carried out by the institutions that included the implementation of biosecurity measures along with the creation and dissemination of digital content on social networks. The efficiency of the measures implemented in each museum was reflected in the number of visits that the institutions recorded in the context of the health emergency.