A virtual museum in the Upper Town of Bergamo. Reuse and digitalisation to preserve and enhance the former convent of San Francesco

Today, history museums are cities’ research centres that have a strong connection with the community, aimed at reconstructing and narrating their past events. Their primary goal is to collect, catalogue, and update sources to facilitate understanding and convey the identity value of a place. The Museo delle Storie di Bergamo in the Upper Town (Città Alta) is a widespread museum designed with the idea of an institution that is not enclosed in a single building, but throughout the city. Seven exhibition spaces chronicle the city’s history from Roman times to the 20th century. Among them, the main seat is located in the former convent of San Francesco. The essay intends to illustrate the first activities accomplished in the framework of a project developed by the University of Bergamo for the knowledge, protection and valorisation of both the edifice, through the reuse of its magnificent structure, and the digitalization of its unique collection, to create a new virtual museum.