The National Cinema Museum of Turin was opened in 1958, although not in its present location in the Mole Antonelliana. The museum sheds light on both the history and the process of film making.
National Cinema Museum Turin
Useful information
Address: Via Montebello, 20 – Torino. Phone: +39 011 8138560 or 011 8138561. Opening times: From 09:00 till 19:00. Closed: Mondays. Ticket price: 12 Euros; ages 6-26, 10 Euros; ages 0-5, free. Combi-ticket museum + panoramic lift: 17 Euros; 14 Euros; free.
History and description
The original seat of the Museo Nazionale del Cinema was the Palazzo Chiablese. The initiative was taken by a private collector, called Maria Anna Prolo, whose dream it was to found a museum detailing the origins of the art form.
The original collection was enhanced in the 1990s, but as a result the space of the original seat became insufficient. In 1985, the museum was even forced to close its doors. It was not before the year 2000 that the Museo del Cinema was reopened in its present seat in the Mole Antonelliana.
What to see
The first section highlights the early history of cinema, with shadow theaters, magic lanterns and dioramas. Thus section is titled “The Archaeology of Cinema”.
The next section is the central Aula del Tempio, where you can see fragments of movies highlighting certain genres and movie stars.
From this central room, a spiral staircase leads to the “Cinema and Television” and “Macchina del Cinema” sections. The latter gives insight into the process involved in the making of a movie, from the initial screenplay to its promotion.
An extra attraction is the interior view to the top of the Mole Antonelliana.