From Canova to Magna Graecia at MANN

(by Francesca De Lucia) (ANSA) - Naples, January 16 - The director of the Naples National Archaeological Museum (MANN) has presented the program for the museum running until 2020, dubbed 'MANN at Work'. This year "is the year of the new MANN," said director Paolo Giulierini. "From large exhibitions beginning with Canova in March to Thalassa, as well as important works in the building with the opening of the Magna Graecia and Prehistory sections, the restyling of the Pompeii areas, an extraordinary technological section where Amedeo Maiuri imagined it, and the renovation of the third garden, the Vanella one." The museum will meanwhile get back a fundamental part of its history with the reopening of the Magna Graecia section, which had been closed for about 20 years, in a theme-based arrangement telling of southern Italy through stories and objects, from religion to banquets. Among the over 700 pieces are some of the oldest, currently in the new restoration laboratories of the museum. Last year ended with a record high 613,426 visitors, a rise of 15.8% on the previous year and 4,000 people have already signed up for the annual Open Mann card.