10 Best Museums in Turin

Turin is a city overshadowed by history, art and culture, so it's no wonder it has some of the best museums in Europe. Its learning spaces are well worth a visit, as you'll come across fascinating collections of oriental art, ancient Egyptian secrets and even learn more about the Shroud of Turin where the body of Jesus Christ is believed to have been wrapped.

Beyond art and history, there are also museums to explore the history of Lavazza coffee, as well as the history of Turinese vermouth, a type of wine that is highly sought after worldwide. A museum tour is one of the best things to do in Turin, especially if you want to uncover the local secrets. Discover some of the best museums in Turin for an evening full of history and fun.

The Egyptian Museum of Turin houses iconic Egyptian collections, where you can discover the most interesting secrets of the city on the River Nile. This building came to Piedmont because of the Savoy dynasty family's fondness for Egyptian culture. Other local legends believe it was built in honour of the Egyptian prince Pa Rahotep, who allegedly escaped his country in the 15th century BC and discovered the Turin lands before the Romans.

Beyond the many legends, the museum arrived in Turin in 1724 and has more than 37,000 artefacts worth a look. Here you will see statues of renowned pharaohs such as Tutankhamun, Ramses II and Amun. You will also witness an ancient image of the acrobatic dancer, which represents the gymnastic dances of Egypt. All these pieces arrived on boats, after several Italian kings negotiated their purchase for an unknown value. In general, you can make this visit on your own, although I recommend you consider a guided tour to avoid the queues and enjoy the company of an expert guide.

Interesting details

• Price: from 15 euros per person, although you can get guided tours without queues from 58 euros.
• Location: Via Accademia delle Scienze, in the heart of the old town.
• Opening hours: open Tuesday to Sunday from 9.30am to 6.30pm. On Mondays it is open from 9.30am to 2pm. .
• How to get there: if you are in the city centre you can get there on foot. From other areas you can take advantage of the public transport routes, such as the Gruppo Torinese Trasporti tramway which has trips from 1 euro and picks up passengers every ten minutes. You can also opt for Turin's best tourist buses, as the red route usually connects to the main museums.

The National Museum of Cinema is a multifaceted building, where you will find fascinating stories and unparalleled panoramic views. This is because it shares space with Mole Antonelliana, a dome of great architectural beauty with a 360° observation deck and a panoramic lift that reveals every inch of Turin. Underneath its structure is the museum itself, which houses objects, costumes and posters of Italian cinema.

It can be considered a double visit, so that alone makes it worth your time. Here you will discover film anecdotes and an extensive collection from the 1940s to the present day. Without a doubt, it preserves a great historical and cultural heritage with cinematographic apparatus, optical boxes and a cinema hall where films that marked history, such as the classic Cabiria (1914), are shown.

Interesting details

• Price: there are three types of tickets, please note before booking. From 12 euros you can enter the museum, but if you just want to enjoy the viewpoint you can pay around 9 euros. Combined tickets for both attractions start at 17 euros, although guided tours are available from 77 euros.
• Location: in the heart of Via Montebello.
• Opening hours: open every day (except Tuesdays) from 9am to 7pm, and on Saturdays it is open until 10pm.
• How to get there: you can use the city tram, or if you plan to be in Turin for at least 2 days, venture out on a tour on the local tourist bus.

The National Automobile Museum is a building noted for its complete collection of cars, motorbikes and historical pieces. It is estimated to have a stock of 200 automobiles of eight well-known brands. It's ideal if you're looking for things to do in Turin with children, as it has activities for the little ones such as a workshop where they can create their own car.

It is full of technology, automotive science findings and curious engines, for example you can see the first car that circulated in Italy. Or visit its thematic rooms spread over three floors: "The Automobile and Design" on the ground floor, "Man and the Automobile" on the first floor and finally "The Automobile and the 20th Century" on the first floor.

Interesting details

• Price: You'll find tickets from 15 euros, although there are also guided tours combined with Turin' s best sightseeing buses from 42 euros. Free for children under five and included in the Torino+Piemonte Card.
• Location: Corso Unità d'Italia.
• Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday and public holidays from 10.00 am to 7.00 pm, while on Mondays it is open from 10.00 am to 2.00 pm.
• How to get there: you can take advantage of local transport, or the tourist buses.

Another essential stop on your museum tour of Turin is the Museum of Oriental Art, also known as MAO. It has been located in this Italian city since 2008 and its collections revolve around the artistic finds of different Asian communities such as China, Japan and Pakistan. For example, ancient treasures are hidden here in the themed rooms that offer a journey through Islamic art, Chinese funerary art and Japanese secular art.

On the ground floor you can marvel at the Japanese gardens, a place that exudes peace and tranquillity. Take the time to wander through one of Italy' s richest collections of Asian art, which is filled with paintings, ceramics, engravings and Himalayan artefacts. It has temporary exhibitions that may surprise you, but permanent exhibitions you may encounter on your visit include:

• South and Southeast Asian Gallery: brings together collections of objects from India, Gandhara and Indochina.
• Chinese Gallery: a space with rescued objects dating from 3000 BC to 900 AD.
• Japan Gallery: here I recommend you to detail the Japanese screens and statues.
• Himalayan Gallery: it has books that were used for rituals, as well as sacred objects and paintings.
• Islam Gallery: it gathers art from the Middle East, Persia, Turkey and the ex-Soviet republics of Central Asia. Mostly ancient manuscripts.

Details of interest

• Price: from 10 euros, there are also reduced prices for seniors and young people between eighteen and twenty-five years of age. In addition, children under the age of eighteen are free.
• Location: in the historic Palazzo Mazzonis.
• Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, closed on Mondays.
• How to get there: it is easy to reach on foot from the central part of Turin, although there are many transport options such as buses, trams and taxis.

The Madama Palace has a spectacular Museum of Ancient Art founded in 1860. It functions as a gallery with over 60,000 works, including paintings and sculptures. The exhibits take you on a journey through time, from the Byzantine period to the 19th century. Of course, it can be complemented by a visit to the palace, considered one of the most elegant buildings in Turin with more works of art from different periods.

During the tour of the museum you will be able to appreciate:

• Moat level: objects and works of art dating back to the Middle Ages. It offers a medieval garden and goldsmith pieces.
• Ground floor: with works from the 1300s to the Renaissance.
• First floor: you will find a picture gallery, Baroque style rooms and art objects ranging from 1,600 to 1,700.
• First floor: a mixture of art pieces rescued from different periods.

Details of interest

• Price: from 8 euros.
• Location: in Piazza Castello, in the middle of Via Magenta.
• Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00.
• How to get there: you can get around by public transport, or take advantage of Turin's best tourist buses.

The Museum of the Shroud of Jesus Christ in Turin is a museum and crypt of great historical value. Its main attraction is the woven linen sheet in which the body of Jesus Christ was wrapped. Of course, it is an authentic relic accompanied by other sacred objects, which have been rescued to ensure their preservation. For example, you can see the bronze medallion that was rescued from the bottom of the Seine.

This medallion has the face of Christ carved on it and is an exact reproduction of the lines that can be seen on the cloth that dried the blood and sweat of Jesus on the way to the crucifixion and on the Shroud itself. As for the shroud, it is believed that in the 14th century a small church was set up to preserve it, and that it even had a pilgrimage through Europe. Later, the Savoy dynasty recovered it to preserve it in the Sacra di Santa Michele. Finally, in 1998, an exclusive sanctuary was created for its preservation.

Interesting details

• Price: from 15 euros with discounts for children, young people and seniors.
• Location: in Via San Domenico.
• Opening hours: every day from 3.00 pm to 6.00 pm.
• How to get there: you can walk from the centre, or take the local tram.

The Museo Carpano in Tur in is one of the oldest museums of its kind, where you can delve into the history of the Carpano family. It is a lineage that left its mark in Turin, as Antonio Benedetto Carpano was the creator of the world's first vermouth.

It is a wine enriched with aromatic herbs, considered the favourite of the nobles, who used to drink this traditional beverage and adjusted it to their taste. Those who wanted it sweeter would ask for it with vanilla and those who preferred bitter flavours would opt for cinchona extract.

A trip through this museum will allow you to discover artefacts and exhibits, which delve into the origins of wine. You will also find prized family possessions such as paintings, sculptures and other pieces of art. The most interesting thing to do is to go on tastings and to go through the exhibition of the aromas contained in the main herbs present in the different types of vermouth.

Interesting details

• Price: admission is free.
• Location: in Via Ermanno Fenoglietti, right in the heart of Turin.
• Opening hours: every day from 10:00 to 19:00.
• How to get there: you have many options such as metro, bus and tram.

Pietro Micca was a Savoyard soldier whose story is immortalised by his sacrifice to save the city from French troops. As such, he has his own museum known as the Museo Civico Pietro Micca e dell'Assedio, which has been in Turin since 1961. It can be combined with a tour of the underground passages, as this historical figure was involved in their construction.

In fact, on the ground floor there is a model of the network of underground tunnels, and by following the instructions you can find a shortcut to the passages. It is ideal if you are looking for things to do in Turin with children, as it is a space with touching stories where they will be inspired by this local hero.

Interesting details

• Price: from 4 euros.
• Location: on Via Francesco Guicciardini.
• Opening hours: every day (except Mondays) from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm.
• How to get there: you can take advantage of the tram and bus lines.

The Lavazza Museum of Tur in is an interactive space where you can explore traditional Turinese coffee and the history of the Lavazza coffee brand, which has been on the market for over 120 years. It has two floors full of attractive entertainment options:

• Casa Lavazza: visit the family home, to explore their lifestyle and discover what inspired the building of this strong brand.
• The Factory: this is where the magic happens, it is a tour full of contrasts where you can listen to the coffee machines, delight in the aromas and taste high quality coffee.
• La Plaza: in this place different coffee rituals take place, considered a tradition since the 60s.
• L'Universo: an interactive exhibition, where you will understand what makes Lavazza coffee unique.

Interesting details

• Price: around 8 euros.
• Location: in the Aurora neighbourhood, near Via Bologna.
• Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00.
• How to get there: the best way to get there is by bus.

If you're a sports fan, you can't miss the J-Museum of Turin, a space dedicated to the Italian football club Juventus. This experience allows you to get a behind-the-scenes look at the locker room and behind-the-scenes of what spectators don't see on the pitch. In addition, you will be able to take a look at the press area, as well as the private collections.

You will be able to discover the impact of this club on Italian football, while being treated to signed shirts from the players. You may even be taken to the trophy room to learn about the team's victories. There are audio-guided and guided tours, so you can decide what best suits your itinerary.

Interesting details

• Price: from 15 euros.
• Location: near Via Druento.
• Opening hours: daily from 10:00 to 19:00.
• How to get there: accessible by public transport in Turin.