Museum of Precinema, Specialized museum in Prato della Valle, Padua, Italy.
The Museum of Precinema is housed in a fifteenth-century palazzo and displays collections of optical instruments and magic lantern slides from the 1700s and 1800s. The rooms contain various devices such as stereoscopes, projection lanterns, and early cameras that illustrate technical experiments with light and movement.
The museum was founded in 1998 and grew from a private collection of optical devices that trace the path toward film invention. This institution emerged from collaboration between collectors and the city of Padua.
The collection displays optical devices such as magic lanterns, stereoscopes, and early cameras that show how people explored visual entertainment before cinema existed. Visitors can observe how these instruments sparked curiosity and imagination in everyday life.
The museum is centrally located in Padua and is accessible on foot or by public transport; the building is wheelchair accessible. Plan to spend about two hours exploring, and check opening times in advance before your visit.
The museum preserves a magic lantern from 1790 originating from a Medici villa, containing 108 panoramic slides depicting Greek mythology and scenes of ancient Rome. This slide series allows visitors to see how complex visual stories were once told using this technology.
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