museo del precinema

Astonishing. A must for animation-industry workers. Ubelievable, the Ponti device at the entrance for visitors to use. Ask for a quick demonstration at the ticket desk for the main attractions and usage of devices to experience a great visual treat. I can imagine someone interested in cinema and special devices would come from all over the world for probably one-of-a-kind instruments. I didn't expect too much of it but was shocked and amazed by what I saw. Beautiful. Needs some funding for restoration of carton picture boards probably though. Seen a lot of museums but this one beats them all.

We recently spent two days in Padua and this was definitely the highlight of our trip to this beautiful city. The museum is very well laid out and explanations and demonstrations were expertly given by the very helpful gentleman that works there. The interactive exhibits (of which there are several) are definitely the highlight, and are all delightful.The museum is tucked away at the top of a building but it is well worth seeking out and you will not be disappointed!

We were the first visitors at 10am, and really enjoyed it, especially the 'hands-on' exhibits, and the camera obscura over the square. We were soon joined by a school party, but would recommend this to anyone with even a vague interest in early photography/cinema.

It was my second time in Padua and I wanted to see something different. Thanks to TA, I managed to visit this little museum and was very much impressed with the quality of the collection (so many pre/quasi-cinema machines I never knew existed), the attentiveness of the staff and the pure fun of having the opportunity to experience these antediluvian entertainment. Great, unique and charming - definitely worth your time, esp. if you enjoy off-the-beaten track attractions!

This is a tiny museum very near the Basilica of St. Anthony. We were the only ones in the 3 room museum on the day that we were there. There are hundreds of examples of pre-cinema visuals and equipment, along with a 20 minute short-film (English subtitles). The film focuses on the history of "magic lanterns" and all the other pieces of equipment that eventually resulted in movie cameras. I did not know what to expect...but my husband, myself, and my pre-teens enjoyed our 1 hour visit, learning how visual images incrementally changed as new technology was developed throughout Europe and the US and presented to eager audiences of all kinds. I had thoughts of my childhood ViewMaster (you put in a disc with transparent film and see photos) as I viewed the 100 year old slides of "A visit to Rome" or "A day at the beach". The colors were so vibrant, some images very realistic, others very romanticized. If you are looking for a quiet activity, with some hands-on opportunities, I highly recommend a visit to this low-key, unique museum (but not for young children, ie under 9 years old)

It's maybe easy to find a cinema expert... but what about a pre-cinema expert? Our guide through this small but lovely museum in the city centre of Padova was brilliant, as he explained us all the secrets of cinema before the frères Lumière. My family and I really appreciated it.

The museum is located in a corner of Prato della Valle at the beginning of Via Umberto I (before starting the journey that leads to the heart of the squares "Piazze" of Padua), you have to ring the bell and go up to the third floor. There is a small, but really picked museum on the history of small but complex equipment that anticipated the cinema. The ticket costs 3 euro. Follow the beautiful movie about 20 minutes, which introduces the history of the "magic lanterns". If you have children will really enjoy because you can also interact with some machines still working.

This is a really surprising and charming place, very well laid out and fun to see. The 20-minute video about magic lanterns and all the other pre-cinema devices was very enjoyable. This is very easy to find, at Prato delle Valle, close to Trattotio al Prato. You do have to ring the bell more than once. Extra bonus: the best toilet paper in Europe.

I’ve been to Padova a few times, so I was looking for something off the beaten tourist track to do. Thanks to TA reviewers, (which is really changing the way we travel!) I found The Precinema Museum and because of the good reviews, I decided to visit it. What a wonderful museum, totally unknown to me on previous visits and a wonderful activity for both adults and kids. The museum opened in 1998 and is a private collection of all things dealing with the birth of the cinema in the late 1800’s and it’s all displayed wonderfully with signage in both English and Italian. The gentleman, who greeted me, explained the layout of the museum, demonstrated how to use some of the viewers and then showed a very interesting 20 minute movie about the history of the cinema in Italian with English subtitles. I especially enjoyed seeing the beautiful hand painted landscape slides, the fairy tales, and old painted pictures of many Italian cities. It’s really a delightful museum that will take you back to a lovely time!Although it’s easy to find, I had never noticed it before. The museum sits on the corner of Prato della Valle and you must ring the bell to enter (see the pictures). From there take the elevator or walk up 3 flights of steps, with cardboard figures showing you the way. Once inside the museum, photos are not allowed, but they have an informative brochure in English with lovely pictures. It’s open from 10am to 4pm, daily and closed on Tuesday. I was surprised that it only cost 3eu! They have a small gift shop and were very friendly, making this a wonder visit! Highly recommended!

If you are at all interested in the history of entertainment, you'll kick yourself later if you don't check this out. It is full of magic lantern slides and projectors, and is essentially just what it says: a museum of all pre-cinema projected entertainment. We went with our 16 year old daughter and she loved it. I can't imagine where else in the world you could find a collection like this. If it were a special exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, you wouldn't mind dropping $12.00 on admission, and it's only 3 Euros (free with Padova Pass) Don't miss it!

I fratelli Lumière sarebbero ben contenti di visitare il Museo del Precinema.Inconsueto il materiale esposto ed unico nel suo genere.Posto nel mezzo di opere uniche come Prato della Valle, la chiesa di sant'Antonio ed il Palazzo della Ragione, di per se vale il viaggio

Questo museo è una piccola perla, ignorata dalla maggior parte dei padovani.E' fornito di numerosi bellissimi reperti che illustrano la storia dell'animazione e degli spettacoli ottici.Situato all'ultimo piano di un palazzo (con ascensore) che si affaccia su Prato della Valle, l'ambiente è piccolo e molto piacevole, e ad accoglierci abbiamo trovato dei veri appassionati, animati dal desiderio di presentare al meglio quanto il museo ha da offrire.Mantenuto con molta cura, questo piccolo museo è davvero unico nel suo genere.

Ne ho visti parecchi di musei, fidatevi. Ma questo li batte tutti, almeno nella città di Padova! E' incredibile la collezione di pezzi più unici che rari che questo museo contiene. Il personale è gentilissimo, disponibile e allegro. Non sono i soliti dipendenti dei musei mezzi addormentati e annoiati, loro ci mettono passione e amore. Inoltre, il museo offre una vista spettacolare sul Prato, che da qui sopra sembra perfettamente rotondo e non a forma di ellissi! Penso di tornarci presto, l'atmosfera è magica e misteriosa, un tuffo nel passato.

Personalmente non avevo mai dato molta importanza a questo museo, e mi sbagliavo.Il ragazzo che ci ha fatto da guida è stato molto gentile, molto preparato e devo dire disponibile.Il museo è piccolino, lo si visita in un'oretta. Consiglio il breve video proposto all'inizio, per capire meglio ciò che si vedrà in seguito.Troverete tantissime attrezzature d'epoca, e se vi piacciono le tecnologie del passato, vi perderete a guardare tutti i vetrini utilizzati per la "lanterna magica", e molti altri strumenti d'epoca.Se capitate in una bella giornata di sole, avrete la possibilità di vedere fuori dalla finestra una veduta privilegiata di Prato della Valle!Molto consigliato!

Un piccolo gioiello in Prato della Valle, lontano da mete conosciute, all'interno di un palazzo privato a cui si accede suonando il campanello! Un sorprendente carosello di macchine appartententi al periodo precedente alla nascita del cinema ed appartenente ad una collezione privata. Vetri dipinti favolosi e macchine sorprendenti! Assolutamente da visitare per conoscere un'Italia dei musei poco nota ai più. Ottima guida!