Italy's state museums attracted 53 million visitors last year.
Italy's 358 state museums in 2018 generated €27 billion, or 1.6 per cent of gross domestic product, according to a report commissioned by the Italian culture ministry.
Last year Italy's state museums attracted 53 million visitors and employed 117,000 people, according to findings by the Boston Consulting Group.
Presenting the report, Italy's newly-returned culture minister Dario Franceschini commented: "Investing in culture is a strategic lever for the country's growth."