Museums in Italy

Palace of Altemps
Piazza San Apollinare 44, Rome, Italy
Tel: 39 06 39967700

The Palace of Altemps is one of the most interesting examples of the Renaissance architecture in Rome. Construction was started by Girolamo Riario in 1477 in the place where, in antiquity, existed marble workshops, possibly with a temple of Apollo nearby. Since 1997 it has been one of the four centres which comprise the National Roman Museum. In the palace are Renaissance and Baroque sculptures such as the famous Boncompagni Ludovisi collection, the rich sixteenth century collection of Asdrubale and Ciriaco Mattei and the Altemps collection itself. When visiting the museum it is also possible to see the Church of Sant’Aniceto, whose construction was commissioned by Giovanni Angelo Altemps in 1603, one of the richest churches of Rome and in which is also housed a large number of relics and the vestiments of Sant’Aniceto, one of the first Popes.

National Museum of Cinema
Fondazione Maria Adriana Prolo Via Montebello, 20 10124 Torino, Italy
Tel: 011 812 5658

The National Museum of Cinema is located inside the Mole Antonelliana, the historic building representing the city of Turin. The "Maria Adriana Prolo Collection" counts 3,500 items regarding the spectacular accomplishments of the late 18th and early 19th century: about 100 magic lanterns, 2000 magic lantern slides, some precious mondo niovi, various models of optical boxes form the 18th century, 500 optical views. It also includes an exceptionally rare collection of more than 200 historic documents on the development and the circulation of optical shows: prints, paintings, drawings, pottery, statues, fans and a noteworthy set of promotional posters. The "Barnes Collection" consists of 2.800 items and was acquired in 1994 from the English brothers John and William Barnes. The museum's collection has been thus enriched by rare prints, a group of 100 magic lanterns and more than 2000 projection slides and also by a precious collection of various objects used for the first studies on the moving image. The photographic collection comprises about 130.000 photographic records and about 1.800 among cameras and photographic equipment.

Salvatore Ferragamo Museum
Piazza Santa Trinita 5r, Florence
Tel: +39 055 3360 456

Opened in 1995, the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum was designed to show the public the history of the brands founder and his creations - footwearviewed by museums and experts worldwide as no less than art. Eleven years on from its inauguration, the museum is being enlarged and moved down to the pillard, cross vaulted basement, in parts of the building that still show its medieval origin.