Two decades after its launch, Italy’s National Film Museum in Turin is pushing out into VR and looking to boost its role as a magnet for global movie lovers and a catalyst for the local film industry. The venerable cinematic shrine housed in the iconic Mole Antonelliana domed tower, which is the Northern city’s main landmark, has long been known as a treasure trove of movie memorabilia, including pre-cinema magic lanterns and Federico Fellini’s red scarf and letters, as well as for its sleek glass elevator leading to a stunning view of Turin and the Alps in the surrounding Piedmont region.

As an institution, the Turin museum also serves as the core organization behind a trio of festivals: the Torino Film Festival, which is Italy’s leading indie cinema event; the ecology-themed CinemAmbiente; and the Lovers Film Festival, Europe’s first fest dedicated to LGBTQ+ films, a standout on the international circuit.