Even if you’re not a museum-goer, as long as you’re a cinephile or have the slightest interest in or appreciation for cinema, you’re going to absolutely love this one. Italy’s National Museum of Cinema is hands down the stop that makes adding Turin to your itinerary worth your while. Take it from the full-time travel blogger who wanted to be a filmmaker at some point in her life.
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About the National Museum of Cinema
Turin’s iconic Mole Antonelliana is home to the National Museum of Cinema, locally known as Museo Nazionale del Cinema. This truly exceptional museum was inaugurated in July, 2000, quickly garnering worldwide recognition and becoming one of the most visited museums in Italy.
What makes the National Museum of Cinema so special is the fun layout used to display its rich collections. The layout is developed in an upward spiral, displaying the history of cinema on multi-exhibition levels. The vast collections displayed feature posters, film equipment, film clips, memorabilia, and much more. And in today’s age and technology, the museum now offers an interactive multisensory experience via QR-coded access to multimedia content.
National Museum of Cinema: Must-See Exhibits
The museum boasts a huge collection of rare and valuable materials; 2,200,000 works to be exact. Those works include films, photographs, equipment, film posters, archival documents, books, magazines, sound recordings, and much more. Three themes stand out in these collections: film archaeology, film history, and photography.
Throughout your visit, you’ll pass by multiple exhibits:
- Archaeology of Cinema floor: This is where the tour starts and where you can admire a valuable collection of equipment and materials that shaped cinema.
- Cinema Machine: This is an astonishing tour that showcases the main stages in the production of a film. Also featuring the world of special effects, as well as the language of cinema through props, sketches, costumes, scripts, photographs, and video projections.
- Poster Gallery: Located on the upper floor, this gallery tells the history of cinema through a wonderful collection of film posters.
- Helicoidal Ramp: Temporary exhibitions are often held here.
- Temple Hall: Located at the heart of the Mole, special chaises longues are provided for visitors to watch screenings on the two available big screens.
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Mole Antonelliana’s Panoramic Lift
The building that houses the museum, Mole Antonelliana, was initially a synagogue, turned into a monument of national unity and an architectural landmark of the city. Architect and visionary Alessandro Antonelli began work on the iconic building in 1863 and completed its construction in 1889. Sitting at a height of 167.5 meters, Mole Antonelliana was considered the tallest brick building in Europe at the time.
The panoramic lift wasn’t introduced until 1961 during the celebrations of the centennial of Italian unification. Today, the lift allows the museum’s visitors to go all the way up to a terrace where they can take in breathtaking panoramic views of the city and the surrounding Alps.
P.S. This experience requires a separate ticket from the museum ticket, or a combined ticket that enables you to enjoy both.
National Museum of Cinema: Practical Information
National Museum of Cinema’s Location and Directions
The museum is located on Via Montebello, and the best way to get there is by using public transportation. You have multiple options:
- Bus 61, 55, 56, tram 13 and 15 (stop ROSSINI, via Po)
- Bus 68 (stop VERDI, via Rossini)
- Tram 16 (stop PALAZZO NUOVO, Corso San Maurizio)
National Museum of Cinema’s Opening Hours
- The museum and the panoramic lift are both open from Wednesday to Monday from 9 AM to 7 PM.
- Tuesdays are off.
- Holidays and special events may result in different working hours, so make sure to check this page in advance.
Ticket Prices
- Admission to the museum costs €18, a ticket for the panoramic lift costs €9, and the joint ticket for both costs €23.
- Discounted tickets are available for travelers under the age of 26, costing €16, €7, and €20 consecutively.
- Royal Pass holders are eligible for the museum and lift’s separate discounted tickets, and Torino+Piemonte Card holders are eligible for the lift’s discounted ticket.
- Free admission for children at the age of 5 or younger, as well as people with disabilities and their companions.
- Guided tours are available for big groups.
- To avoid long queues and waiting times, it’s best to purchase your ticket online. If you’re a solo traveler and would like to visit with a guide, you can book a tour online and join an existing group.
P.S. Prices are always subject to change, so make sure to check this page in advance.
Facilities
- The National Museum of Cinema is accessible to people with disabilities, offering ramps, elevators, and even free of charge wheelchairs available at the ticket counter.
- A free audio guide is available in English and Italian; all you have to do is scan the QR code at the entrance.
- There’s no cafeteria in the museum; however, there are vending machines for snacks and drinks on the ground floor.
- There’s also a gift shop, featuring a wide selection of relevant books, gadgets, and souvenirs.
- Toilets are available on site.
Things to Know in Advance
- The visit usually lasts from 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Photography and videography for personal use are allowed, but flash photography is not allowed on certain floors.
- If you happen to be traveling with your dog, they’re allowed on the ground floor as long as they’re muzzled and on-leash. Small dogs are allowed throughout the museum as long as they’re held in arms or in carrier bags. As for service dogs and certified emotional support animals, they’re permitted with no restrictions.
- Large bags are not allowed inside the museum; you’ll have to leave them at the entrance.
- There are bike racks near the museum if you’re commuting via bicycle.
Events and Special Programs at the National Museum of Cinema
The National Museum of Cinema often organizes and hosts temporary exhibitions within its spaces, the Temple Hall and the Helicoidal Ramp. Make sure you check out the museum’s official Instagram page before your visit to keep an eye out for events.
It’s worth recognizing the National Museum of Cinema’s efforts in the restoration of films, often believed to be irretrievably lost. Many of these initiatives have been in collaboration with other prestigious institutions from around the world. The museum’s cutting-edge research on the preservation of cinematic materials has placed it at the center of cultural initiatives in Italy and beyond.
International acclaim of the museum doesn’t stop here. The National Museum of Cinema is connected to 3 major film festivals of global recognition: Torino Film Festival, Festival CinemAmbiente, and Lovers Film Festival. Not just that, but it’s where the famed TorinoFilmLab is often held to support talented filmmakers from around the world through development programmes, various production support efforts, and distribution of projects.
My Experience at the National Museum of Cinema
To give you a little brief about myself, in case you’re new here, I majored in Media Management when I was in university. I was such a film buff (still am), and by the time I was graduating, I wanted to be a film director. That didn’t end up happening because the hours weren’t going to allow me to pursue my dream of becoming a full-time travel blogger, and honestly, I wanted to travel more. So, here I am. I did end up working on organizing film festivals on the side, though.
Anyhow, this can help you imagine how much someone like me would enjoy visiting the National Museum of Cinema in Turin. I was still a student at the time, and I was in awe throughout my whole visit. I remember walking through the museum being totally overwhelming but in the best way possible. All the behind-the-scenes details that make cinema feel as magical as it is have left me fascinated.
I won’t deny, reminiscing and writing about my experience right now almost feels bittersweet for someone who once dreamed of becoming a filmmaker. It feels like connecting with a younger version of myself, but I don’t regret a thing, to be honest. Remembering the layout of the museum, specifically, because it’s set up in a way that actually tells a story, reminds me of why I fell in love with storytelling in the first place. I’ve been a storyteller ever since I was just a little girl, when I used to write short stories and silly poems about friendship and dreaming big. Sure, my path may have ended up looking different from that version of myself who visited the museum had dreamed of. However, storytelling remains at the center of everything I do now, just through travel, writing, and content creation.
In Conclusion…
Italy may be mostly popular for its art museums, especially those in Florence, but the National Museum of Cinema is just as worth a visit. European cinema, especially Italian cinema, has been globally influential throughout the years, so there’s definitely a thing or two to learn from the Italians there. Whether you’re an aspiring filmmaker, a cinephile, or simply a film buff, don’t miss the National Museum of Cinema in Turin. And if you’ve never heard about it, this is your sign to add it to your bucket list.
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Nadine is an Egyptian curly-head who decided to quit the norm because it just doesn’t suit her. She ditched her 9-5 as a magazine editor to pursue her dream of becoming a full-time digital nomad and to inspire aspiring travelers to embark on their own solo adventures.
