Museo Nazionale della Montagna

The Museo Nazionale della Montagna is located at Piazzale Monte dei Cappuccini 7 in the Borgo Po area of Turin, Piedmont, Italy, on a hill overlooking the city. It was founded in 1874 by the Club Alpino Italiano, established in Turin in 1863 by Quintino Sella, and is among the oldest museums of mountaineering in the world. The building is a former Capuchin convent near the church of Santa Maria al Monte dei Cappuccini, and the setting provides panoramic views over the Po, the city and the Alpine arc.

The collection documents the history of climbing, exploration and Alpine culture. Items include equipment from different eras such as ice axes, ropes, boots, tents and clothing, as well as maps, photographs, paintings, film material and archives from expeditions. The museum holds material on the Alps, the Himalaya, the Andes and polar regions, and honours Italian climbers including those of the Duke of the Abruzzi's expeditions, as well as the history of the Club Alpino Italiano.

The displays are thematic and immersive, with sections on the formation of mountains, Alpine landscapes, the conquest of peaks, and the environment and culture of mountain communities. A cinema collection, the Cineteca del CAI, preserves films on mountaineering, and temporary exhibitions and festivals add to the programme. The panoramic terrace is a notable feature of the visit.

The museum has been renovated several times to modernise the displays and conserve the collection, and the convent building has been preserved. A fee applies, and the amount should be confirmed at museomontagna.org. Opening is seasonal, generally Tuesday to Sunday, so check before visiting.