Museo della Sindone (The Holy Shroud Museum)

It was created in Turin in 1936 and hosted since 1998 in the crypt of the Church of the Holy Shroud. This museum represents the place which, more than any other (except for the Cathedral, where the Sheet is permanently preserved, but not visible) offers the opportunity to move closer to the Shroud.

The Holy Shroud Museum

The Shroud Museum is unique in the world and that is of crucial importance to the cultural heritage of our country.

In particular the multiannual basis of the exposition gives the Museum the aim of pursuing the devotion spread, study and knowledge of the sacred linen. Its rooms show full details on the research on the Shroud conducted since 500, and deepen into historical scientific, devotional and artistic aspects.

The Museum operates on a voluntary basis and it is open "seven days a week", even if it cannot count on the public financial support. It is visited by about 15 thousand people a year, which became 35 thousand during last exposition in 2010.

The Holy Shroud

The shroud is a linen sheet herringbone fabric size about m. 4.41 x 1.13, containing the double image approximates to the head of the corpse of a man who died as a result of a series of torture which culminated with the crucifixion.

According to the tradition, it could be the Shroud mentioned in the Gospels that was used to envelop the body of Jesus Christ in the Sepulchre. This tradition, despite having found many hits in the scientific studies carried out on the sheet, cannot be formally proved.

What is sure, is that the Shroud, due to the characteristics of its mark, represents a direct and immediate link which helps to understand and meditate the dramatic reality of the passion of Jesus Christ.

The exhibition

The Shroud Museum consists essentially of two parallel sections arranged in the crypt of the Church of the Holy Shroud. One section is scientific and the other has got an historical connotation. In the first one, there are 3D images, photos of microscopic traces of pollen, micro traces of texiles, which are the result of experiments and studies cariied out to explain the image on the towel.

In the second one, you can admire, among other valuable testimonies, the cassette in which the shroud arrived in Turin in 1578 and the 16th-century shrine in silver that he kept until 1998, and engravings, artworks and books from 500 to 800. The exhibition is completed with the vision of a multilingual multimedia movie as well as a series of large backlit images illustrating the "photographic history of the Shroud".

The Church and the Events

The visit ends in the Church of the Holy Shroud, where a perfect life-size color reproduction of the Shroud is preserved. The nave of the building is also used for conferences, concerts and temporary exhibitions.

Path for the blind

In order to ensure the maximum usability, architectural barriers have been removed to provide access to people with disabilities. Furthermore the Museum has set up a special path for the blind, the result of a collaboration with the Italian Blind Union of Turin.

In 14 steps are proposed to the visitor, a bas-relief tables, tactile objects to explore her hands, which together tell the Shroud. The entire route is accompanied by an audio-guide that supports the exploration and provides all the information you need. The itinerary offers a great tactile model built on support of Sheet aluminum, three-dimensional shape and faithful, is the front of the shroud. The work was carried out by the Committee for the exposition and Piedmont Association of the blind and Retinopatics.

The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud and the International Center for Sindonology

The Shroud Museum was created by the Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud that still today care of technical and administrative management, as well of the activity of the Church of the Holy Shroud. The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud has been founded in Turin in 1598, twenty years after the arrival of the Shroud in the city, aiming to cultivate and increase their devotion. It is responsible for more than four centuries of religious and cultural initiatives charitable in the city.

It was also responsible for the establishment of the International Centre of Sindonology: in 1936 the growing of the scientific interest towards the shroud made emerge the need of a coordination of studies on international level. In the very beginning, within the Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud were born the so called: "Cultores Sanctae Sindonis". In 1959 a pool of scholars and scientists joined together with the name of "International Center for Sindonology", today formally recognized by the Vatican as official voice of the church on every shroud themes.

The Association "Shroud Museum Friends"

The Association "Shroud Museum Friends" was born to offer concrete support to the daily management of the museum and join the many people who are engaged as volunteers in the management structure. They help with their daily commitment to keep the Museum open every day of the year. They where in addition to the ticket office are also the activities of the book-shop.

The Association shall in addition to the purchase and restoration of artworks for the Museum organizes concerts, lectures and other events in the Church of SS. Shroud.

Numbers

There are more than 160 objects exposed in the 250 sq.m. of the main hall, which is the crypt of the Church of the Holy Shroud. It is important to consider other 100 mq. Of multimedia space in which it is shown a movie of 15' and "photographic" which accommodates 30 images, a touch-screen system and 2 full HD video.

In addition to the Church itself, the Museum also includes surface its sacristy where, in addition to the multimedial room, and library collections are collected more 437 items intended for study and research.

Further deepening on the history and the enigmas on the Holy Shroud are collected in the book "The Shroud of Turin: The Most Up-To-Date Analysis of All the Facts Regarding the Church's Controversial Relic" (edited by Bernard Ruffin, C. Bernard Ruffin - price $7.25) and in "Portrait of Jesus?: The Illustrated Story of the Shroud of Turin" (edited by Omega Books - price $13.57).