Turin’s National Cinema Museum occupies the Mole Antonelliana, the soaring landmark that appears on Italy’s two-cent coin. Its collection traces the moving image from optical toys, magic lanterns and shadow theatre to early filmmaking and modern cinema, making it an absorbing alternative to the city’s traditional art museums.
The subject suits Turin, a centre of Italian filmmaking in the early 20th century and the birthplace of the 1914 epic Cabiria. Film historian Maria Adriana Prolo began gathering the cameras, posters, props and documents that formed the collection decades before the museum moved into the Mole in 2000.
The building is as memorable as the exhibits. In the vast central hall, visitors can recline beneath the dome and watch film clips, while theatrical displays explore the genres and mechanics of cinema. A panoramic glass lift rises through the hall to a viewing terrace, where Turin’s rooftops stretch towards the Alps on clear days.
Allow two to three hours for the museum, and book ahead if you also want to take the lift, which can draw long queues on weekends and during school holidays. Check current opening times before visiting; the museum generally closes one day a week, and the lift may be suspended in poor weather. The Mole is within walking distance of Piazza Castello and Via Po.