I'm a movie lover and this is one of the best museums I've ever been to. We literally spent the…read moreentire day here and still needed more time! This is a sprawling, multi-storied (5 levels comprising of 5,000 square feet), treasure trove of Italian movie history that I highly recommend to any film buff!
For just €11 admission, this place is a bargain. The museum starts with an incredible exhibit on the archaeology of cinema. Here's where you'll find a jaw-dropping collection of magic lanterns, optical boxes, phenakistiscope disks, and original 18th century "Peepshow" boxes. There's a crazy amount of photographs and videos that cover all things movie history. The top level has a cool movie poster gallery. Do NOT miss this if you are a fan of film art!
There are different areas and eras that are covered from indie cinema to experimental cinema to trash films to spaghetti westerns to giallo horror to neorealism to modern-day classics and more. Props from popular films, stop-motion demonstrations, and a fun atrium where you can lie down on sofas and watch film clips. Of course it's Italy-centric, but there are items from American films too.
Your ticket also includes a special exhibit. When I visited, it was an audio exhibit on film music throughout the ages (and it was awesome)!
We needed every second here, but we are huge film fans. There's a small cafeteria on the first floor for light snacks. The museum is so huge that even with large crowds, it never feels crowded.
I noticed some of the employees were gruff and impatient with visitors, especially if you didn't speak fluent Italian. We also saw some employees yelling at the large groups of Italian schoolchildren.
The biggest letdown here is the gift shop. It's okay, but is mostly filled with replica posters and boring knick-knacks that you can buy anywhere, even in the U.S.
Note that the museum is CLOSED on Tuesdays!