Cinema Museum, Catania
It was no accident that the cinema museum was opened in Catania, as the history of the city is closely connected with this art. For 15 years at the beginning of the 20th century the city was a real home for several film production companies. The museum is located in the central part of the city, on the embankment, near the main exhibition centers of Catania.
History of the Museum of Cinema
The project of the Museum of Cinema in Catania belongs to the famous Swiss architect and designer François Confino, creator of the National Museum of Cinema in Turin.
The grand opening of the museum took place on May 16, 2003. The exposition is located in the walls of the cultural and exhibition center Le Ciminiere. The collection occupies two floors, the total area of the exposition is 120 square meters.
Museum's collection
The Museum of Cinema gathered exhibits related to the art of the cinematography, the technique of its creation, and also its history. Particular attention is paid to the relationship between the cinema and Sicily itself. The museum presents an overview of the inventions of the cinema, its technical development and style.
The exposition is divided into several thematic exhibitions:
- The first floor holds the exhibition "Light and Shadow". It is a large collection of lamps, almost all of them are from France, and they were created in the period from 1915 to 1964 and were used in cinematography.
- The second floor represents exhibits that preceded the first screening of the movie of Lumiere brothers in Paris on December 28, 1895. There is also an animated installation, which was specially created by the French sculptor Patrice Ferrass for the filming of movies in Catania.
- The monitors show a selection of films that are associated with many attempts of humanity that for several centuries have been trying to transform the image into a moving figure.
- A large collection of optical machines and devices, without which the cinema could not exist deserves a particular attention.
- In the Collection "Gallery of Portraits" you can find photos of the most famous actors and actresses, as well as photos from film sets. Some exhibits are taken from the archives of the National Film School in Rome.
- "Casa del Cinema" is perhaps the most impressive section of the museum. Here you can see the reconstructed scenery of the events of the most impressive and memorable films of Italian cinema.
- A collection of old posters – about 150 objects.
- The library, which has a collection of cameras and projectors from the 1920s to the 1970s, as well as a number of other memorabilia that relate to the world of cinematography.
How to get there
The Cinema Museum is located in the central part of Catania, on the Rocco Chinnici square, on the shores of the Ionian Sea. The exhibition center, which houses the museum, is 7 minutes' walk away from Catania Central Station.
Opening hours: from 09:00 to 16:00 (Tuesday to Sunday).
