The Maria Adriana Prolo Foundation

The Maria Adriana Prolo Foundation

Since 1922, the Museo del Cinema Foundation has promoted the study of cinema, photography and the moving image.

The Museo Nazionale del Cinema is a non-profit organisation which became a Foundation in 1992, in order to promote study, research and documenting activities in the field of cinema, photography and image.

 

The founders, supporting members, the stakeholders who participated to the Foundation’s deeds of incorporation, and those who, subsequently, have contributed decisively to establishing the Foundation's assets. The Museum, which operates according to the rules of private law, has the City of Turin, Piedmont Region, the Compagnia di San Paolo, the Fondazione CRT, the Associazione Museo Nazionale del Cinema and GTT among its founding members.

Director

Carlo Chatrian
Managing commitee

Enzo Ghigo (President), Gabriele Molinari (Vice President), Elisa Giordano, Alessandro Bollo, Paolo Del Brocco.
Auditors
Gianluca Galizia (President), Alberto De Gregorio, Giuseppe Antonio Policaro.
Founding members
​Piedmont Region, City of Turin, Compagnia di  San PaoloFondazione CRT, Associazione Museo Nazionale del Cinema, GTT

Timeline

1941

Maria Adriana Prolo starts her collection.

1953

The Museum becomes a member of the International Federation of Film Archives (F.I.A.F.).

1958

The Museum, housed in the Palazzo Chiablese, opens to the public.

1960

Inauguration of the Museum’s library, named after the journalist Mario Gromo, founding member and president of the Museum.

1965

The Museum is officially recognised by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Internal Affairs as the Museo Nazionale del Cinema.

1985

The Museum is closed for safety reasons.

1986

The Museum’s library reopens in the historic complex San Pietro in Vincoli.

1989

Inauguration of the Cinema Massimo, the museum’s multiplex cinema.

1991

Death of Maria Adriana Prolo on 20 February.

1992

Founding of the Fondazione M. A. Prolo - Museo Nazionale del Cinema, with the support of the Piedmont Region, the City of Turin, the Province of Turin, the Cassa di Risparmio di Torino and the Associazione del Museo Nazionale del Cinema.

2000

On 20 July, the Museo Nazionale del Cinema reopens at its new location in the Mole Antonelliana.

2001

Inauguration of the Poster Gallery; remodelling of the Cinema Massimo multiplex.

2003

Remodelling of the Museum’s lobby: cafeteria, bookshop and ticket office.

2004

The area devoted to Cinema and Television opens to the public (it will close in 2013, making way for more exhibition space earmarked for temporary exhibitions).

2006

The Museum is partially rearranged on the occasion of the XX Olympic Winter Games held in Turin in 2006.

2007

Inauguration of the tactile exhibit La Mole Antonelliana in the Museum’s lobby.
An exhibition area is devoted to Marco Ferreri.
The Cinema Massimo converts to digital.

2008

Inauguration of the new Library/Mediatheque Mario Gromo in Via Matilde Serao.

2009

The level devoted to the Archaeology of Cinema hosts a new exhibition area called Optics and the Secrets of Vision.

2010

Installation of the Stark Interactive Wall (an interactive digital exhibit) in the Poster Gallery. On the level hosting The Cinema Machine, an interactive special effects area opens.

2011

Restoration of the Mole Antonelliana dome.

2012

The Production area is remodelled and dedicated to Goffredo Lombardo and Titanus.
A Jukebox is placed in the Museum lobby, offering visitors over 3,000 film soundtracks digitised by the Museum.

2013

Inauguration of the 3D chapel (replacing the Big Bang chapel) as well as the new educational area, the Paideia Hall.
The Costumes area is rearranged and dedicated to the film Gangs of New York. The new visitor’s itinerary The Ascent to the Dome is inaugurated and the project for New Technologies is presented.

2014

The new arrangement of the level devoted to the Archaeology of Cinema is presented to the public. Remodelling of the cafeteria, with several devices from the technology collection on display.

2015

A new display case is dedicated to Mario Celso, winner of the Scientific and Engineering Award for his invention of the electro-mechanical rectifier.

2020

A renewed set-up showing CineVR, a new area dedicated to virtual reality, replacing the two areas dedicated to “3D” and “Amore&Morte”, two “chapelles” surrounding the Temple Hall.

2021

The welcome plan of the Museum is renewed with a new exhibition space hosting temporary exhibitions and a large LED wall with a video installation dedicated to Alessandro Antonelli and Maria Adriana Prolo, the museum's founder.

2024

Inauguration of Video Game Zone, a permanent area, in the Temple Hall, dedicated to video games.