National Museum of the Mountains "Duca degli Abruzzi"

Founded in 1874 by the Turin branch of the Club Alpino Italiano, with the inauguration of Vedetta Alpina, the "Duca degli Abruzzi" National Museum of the Mountains (www.museomontagna.org) is the most complete museum in the world dedicated to the mountains.  It was reopened to the public in December 2005 after being completely restored.  There are three main areas; Exhibitions, Meetings and Documentation.

The permanent halls in the Exhibition Area have been inspired by the Alps visible on the Turin horizon, as the starting point to discover the mountains all over the world.  Among the collections is a model of Similaun Man, plastic models of the main mountain ranges in the world, historic skiing and equipment, collections from Ladakh, relics from the first mountaineering and exploration expeditions including some that belonged to Duca (Duke) degli Abruzzi.  On the roof of the museum, there is a new terrace where you can see a view of the Alps for up to 450 kilometres.  In the temporary exhibit hall, many events dedicated to the mountains are held.

The Document Area houses the National CAI Library, managed by CAI and Museomontagna, the CAI-Turin Museomontagna Document Centre and the CAI-Turin Museomontagna Historical Film and Video Library. The Non-European Mountaineering Document and Italian Studies Centre (C.I.S.D.A.E.).

The Meeting Area, including the CAI-Turin Hall of Badges of the Old Gymnasium, completely painted in frescos in 1893, has conference halls and a restaurant.  There are more than 200,000 piece at Monte dei Cappuccini.

The Exilles Fort (http://www.museomontagna.org/internet/public/common/attivita_fsede.jsp), managed by the Region of Piedmont and Museomontagna, is the second headquarters of the institution.

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