Abstract

Over the last twenty years, the methodological renewal of the educational historiography and the new research lines emerged have increased the interest over the historical and educational culture. This set of material and/or immaterial heritage is characterized by an extreme heterogeneity, and it is now formally recognized as an essential source for the historical and educational investigation. On this subject, the present contribution intends to underline the key-role played by school and educational museums, especially referring to the protection, preservation and the enhancement of the educational and school heritage, and in particular, it is here described the experience of the «Paolo and Ornella Ricca» School Museum of the University of Macerata. Since its foundation, the Museum has proposed itself not only as a university infrastructure able to innovate the historical-educational research, but also as a tool for the «Third Mission» of the university. Through its didactic and educational activity, the Museum is proficiently able to combine its academic nature and the connection with the territory, to promote the insight of the developments of the Italian school system over the centuries.