The Levizzano Castle, an architectural treasure of extraordinary value and an integral part of the community and territory since the Middle Ages, remained limited to occasional private events such as partys and weddings. The question was how to return the castle to the community, making it accessible and liveable for all and part of the daily life of residents and tourists? The solution was a new and dynamic approach to implement a museum in the castle, recounting the rural society of a hundred years ago, whose traditions were gradually disappearing in the rapid industrialisation of Italy,radically transformed by the economic boom of the 1950s. It was decided to give a dynamic and multi-sensory dimension to the museum, so that the visitor can have an immersive experience. The benefits are successful, highly educational, and social initiatives, as well as events on the theme of slow tourism, such as the Tempo Lento festival, whose second edition in May 2022 brought at least 1,300 people to the castle to take part in meetings with nationally renowned authors of travel literature, focusing on slow travel, discovering small villages and their communities under the banner of sustainable tourism and healthy lifestyles in contact with nature, among others.
The main issue revolved around returning the Levizzano Castle to the community rather than just for private events. The solution? A dynamic and multi-sensory eco-museum that revives the local culture, tradition and products, with the importance of local businesses and community involvement and slow tourism at heart. Since its official launch in 2019, it has created new relationships among community members from all walks of life, allowing a valuable inter-generational exchange of knowledge and experiences and consequently deepening their ties with the region. Furthermore, it has been a hub for successful, highly educational and social initiatives hosting sustainable events such as the ‘Tempo Lento Festival’. Lastly, a multi-purpose interactive totem is a promotional platform for local producers.
Keywords: Tourism Action Plan, Tangible cultural heritage, Intangible heritage, Respecting authenticity, Resident engagement and feedback, Promoting sustainability among enterprises Ecotourism eco-museum, authentic, community involvment, local, traditions