Ecomuseums: projects for community-based and sustainable territorial development

The chapter explores ecomuseums as instruments for sustainable and community-based territorial development, focusing on their origins, conceptual evolution, and the legal framework for the protection of tangible and intangible cultural heritage at national and international levels. It examines management models and funding mechanisms, with particular emphasis on regional legislation in Italy, and presents the Ecomuseum of Val Sanagra (Como) as a case study. By promoting the preservation and transmission of cultural, natural, and social heritage, ecomuseums act as catalysts for sustainable development and civic participation, while facing ongoing challenges related to funding stability and generational renewal.