The Museo del Risparmio promoted by Intesa Sanpaolo was opened today in Turin

• Open for visits from 25 May with free entrance until 3 June
• Multimedia, interactive, fun, constantly evolving: it explores issues related to saving throughout history, from literature, cinema to current affairs
• Designed for visitors of all ages with any qualification level

Turin, 24 May 2012 – The Museo del Risparmio (Savings Museum) was opened today in Turin. The initiative, promoted by Intesa Sanpaolo, intends to provide a contribution to reflect upon issues relating to savings and investments. The approach is multimedia and interactive, starting from the ticket with RFID technology which enables to customise visits and memorise the results obtained by participating in the games offered.

The Museum occupies a 600 sqm area in via San Francesco d’Assisi 8/A, inside the building that housed the city’s first Monte di Pietà (pawn agency) in 1519, located in the heart of Turin’s historical centre. The museum tour is divided into five themed rooms: “Conoscere” (Know), dedicated to the history of currency; “Capire” (Learn) concerning finance instruments, such as shares, bonds, pension funds and others; “Raccontare” (Tell), where authoritative historical and literary figures tell about their relationship with money; “Sognare” (Dream) with clips of films by great directors; “Sperimentare” (Experiment), offering a chance to test oneself in the difficult art of managing money. Virtual tour guides are “For” and “Mika”, the pair of ants chosen as the Museum’s mascots.

Turin’s Museo del Risparmio is the first of its kind in the world. Intesa Sanpaolo’s objective is to turn it into a dynamic instrument that can be updated and enriched in harmony with the evolution of the international economic and financial context. The Museum will also give rise to broader initiatives where visitors will be encouraged to provide their contribution by participating in the “calls for ideas” that will soon be launched on the site www.museodelrisparmio.it.

The Museum’s financial management – entailing the purchase of an entrance ticket up to €8 and discounted tariffs for various categories – will be transparent and available on the Internet site for consultation. The operating revenues will be utilised to cover costs and, if possible, to fund study grants for young people.

The Museum is open from Monday to Sunday, from 10 am to 7 pm, on Thursday until 10 pm; closed on Tuesdays. Entrance is free every first Saturday of the month.