Discover the National Cinema Museum of Turin, in the unique spaces of the Mole Antonelliana. Explore the history of cinema, interactive exhibitions, spectacular installations and enjoy a breathtaking view of the city.
The Mole Antonelliana, a symbol of Turin, is home to the National Cinema Museum, unique in Italy and among the most important in the world: from collections dedicated to the archeology of cinema to the history of photography, from posters and advertising materials to set materials, the museum offers a unique and exciting journey through the history of the Seventh Art.
The history of Cinema in Turin
Turin was the first capital of Italian cinema: here the Lumiere brothers made their first Italian projection in 1896.
The first national film industry developed in Turin. Therefore, historical documents and materials were collected in Turin, which formed the heritage on which the Cinema Museum was founded.
The museum’s collection is impressive, with over 1,800,000 works including films, photographs, equipment, posters, documents, sound recordings, books and records.
Opened in 2000, the museum’s layout is interactive and spirals upwards over several exhibition levels, making the visit engaging. The Swiss set designer François Confino has superimposed different levels of interpretation, combining scientific rigor and spectacularity. Among the most interesting exhibition areas are the Archeology of Cinema, which allows you to experience optical shows and the first devices used, and the Temple Hall, the heart of the permanent installation dedicated to the great genres of the history of cinema. You can admire the immense vault of the Mole Antonelliana lying on the comfortable red chaise longues of the museum.
The installations reconstruct some film sets: you can sit in a typical historic Turin café, or on toilets with screens inside (the cinema of the absurd), enter a laboratory with stills and film reels, lie on a round bed that turns, enter a door smashed by Willy Coyote, find the clock from the film Metropolis, the Moloch of Cabiria, a giant refrigerator and many other curiosities. A ramp allows you to go up and admire the temporary exhibitions.
The panoramic lift
One of the most exciting experiences is the priceless view of Turin from the top of the Mole Antonelliana. A scenic lift takes you to the top in less than a minute, offering a breathtaking panorama of the city. On the walls of the dome is installed the luminous sculpture by Mario Merz, “The flight of numbers”, which represents the beginning of the Fibonacci sequence.
The history of the Mole Antonelliana: an impossible challenge
The Mole Antonelliana was born from an ambitious idea and a project that defies all limits.
It all began in 1862, when the Turin Israelite Community entrusted the architect Alessandro Antonelli with the construction of a large synagogue. The initial idea was for a building with a dome of 47 metres, but Antonelli had a more daring vision and increased the height to 113 metres, arousing criticism and concerns about costs.
In 1869, the Israelite Community abandoned the project due to excessive costs, and the Municipality of Turin intervened to continue the construction, which was only completed in 1889. The Mole reached a height of 167.5 metres, becoming the tallest brick building in Europe, a record it would maintain until 1908.
Today, with its unmistakable profile, it is the undisputed symbol of Turin.
Why is it called “Mole Antonelliana”?
Antonelliana, as we have seen, derives from the designer, the visionary Antonelli. The term mole, on the other hand, derives from the imposing height of the building, which it reaches. “Mole” indicates a massive and imposing structure, often associated with large and monumental constructions.
Information about the Cinema Museum
Go to the site www.museocinema.it