THE NATIONAL CINEMA MUSEUM AND UNICEF TO INAUGURATE BABY PIT STOP

The National Cinema Museum in Turin and UNICEF are inaugurating BABY PIT STOP, a rest area on the ground floor at the Mole Antonelliana for breastfeeding and childcare.

A reserved corner, provided with a comfortable armchair and a small table for tiny-tots, will allow mothers to breastfeed or take care of their child quietly, and also to make use of other facilities available: a bottle-warmer at the Cafeteria and a nappy-changing mat in the toilet on that floor.

This initiative, which is part of the UNICEF Programme Together for Breastfeeding – Children Friendly Hospitals&Communities, is flanking the Born for Culture: for a Family and Kids Friendly Museum project.

“On behalf of UNICEF Italy we wish to thank the National Cinema Museum in Turin for this important initiative, truly good practice, which will garner much recognition among many mothers” – declared Giacomo Guerrera, President of UNICEF Italy. “As UNICEF, we believe it is important that Museums and Libraries, places of culture par excellence and therefore places for the formative and cultural growth of a person, should also pay attention to the necessities of citizens and, in particular, of families. The National Cinema Museum in Turin, the first museum in town to host a Baby Pit Stop, is heading exactly in this direction.”

“Baby Pit Stops” are areas promoted by UNICEF which are conceived expressly for mothers and their children. The term pit stop has been borrowed from Formula 1, where it indicates, as commonly known, a parking area for quick refuelling, changing tyres, etc.. In this case, instead, a Baby Pit Stop (BPS) for mothers and children is a furnished space where it is possible “to fill up on milk” and change a nappy, all in a reserved and welcoming environment. This service is free. Baby Pit Stops are among the initiatives implemented by UNICEF to guarantee the rights set down in the Convention of childhood and adolescence Rights, in particular, article 24 which protects the right to health and is part of the framework of the UNICEF “Children Friendly Hospitals&Communities” Programme.

“Today’s little visitors will be our visitors tomorrow – underlined Donata Pesenti Campagnoni, interim Director of the National Cinema Museum. With this friendly provocation, we wish to sum up the Museum’s desire to be increasingly a space to be lived in, where one feels welcome and at one’s ease, a welcoming venue that is close to everyone. In a moment in which there is a lot of consideration for family needs and, in particular,  for mothers and kids, the National Cinema Museum is showing its sensitivity and care, by organising a reserved and welcoming place like this one.”

The National Cinema Museum has been taking forward several projects for many years dedicated to babies, youngsters, mothers and families. In particular, it organises themed tours for families, treasure hunts, laboratories, themed events and birthday parties. For years, it has been promoting and joining various family friendly initiatives including  FAMU – National Day for Familes at the Museum, Let’s draw Art, Kid Pass Day, the National Education Festival. The Paideia Hall, created in collaboration with the Paideia Foundation, is a space dedicated to hosting Museum educational activities addressed to everyone, in particular to schools, children and families.

The training of its museum-attendants and of its educators guarantees a welcome even for the tiniest kids and makes a visitor experience at the Museum smoother. A partnership with the nearby KOALA kindergarten is currently underway, featuring a more appropriate tour for small visitors under three years. Interior signposting indicates the presence of changing-mats, a lift for pushchairs and the brand new Baby Bit Stop area for breastfeeding and childcare.

The Cinema with your Baby showcase at the Cinema Massimo, organised in collaboration with the Giovani Genitori magazine, offers kid-and-family tailored screenings, with muted lighting, reduced volume, a changing-mat and snacks.

The Museum plans activities in collaboration with Casa UGI, CasaOz, the Regina Margherita children’s hospital and the Paideia Foundation for children who are sick or are disabled, with their families’ involvement.