Rome Museums Offer Free Entry To Blood Donors

In the photo: Centrale Montemartini museum

Museums in Rome are offering free entry to residents who donate blood. All of the city’s civic museums - except for the Museo della Civiltà Romana (Museum of Roman Civilisation) and the Planetarium - are taking part in the initiative. Blood donors are given cards that allow them to gain free entry for two people to participating museums. Various businesses in the capital are also offering discounts to blood donors. The Rome branch of the non-profit Associazione Volontari Italiani Sangue (Association of Italian Blood Donors) runs the blood-drive initiative, which continues until 15 October 2013. The initiative is part of an annual campaign to encourage Italians to give blood at a time when there is a seasonal dip in donations. It is estimated that almost 1,800 people need blood transfusions in Italy every day, amounting to approximately 8,700 units of blood. Some 1.7 million Italians are blood donors.