Home of a renowned university, especially famous for its studies in history, economics and sciences, and its world class School of Engeenering at the Polytechnic, Turin also houses a number f cultural institutions of international repute thanks to their splendid libraries, collections of rare and ancient books and priceless documents, as well as the organisation of numerous prestigious activities. Im Sitze hervorragender Universitäten, die ganz besonders für das Studium der Geschichte, Ökonomie und Wissenschaften sowie für das Ingenieurwesen der Techischen Hochschule bekannt sind, sind in Turin einige kulturelle Institutionen zu Hause, die in der ganzen Welt für den Reichtum der Bibliotheken, der Sammlung von seltenen, antiken Büchern und der Wert der Dokumente sowie der Organisation von zahlreichen Tätigkeiten und Initiativen bekannt sind.

The 18th century Palazzo Tapparelli d'Azeglio is the home of the Einaudi Foundation, named after the celebrated Turin economist Luigi Einaudi, the second President of the Italian Republic, a prestigious institution in the field of the history of political and economic thought. Endowed with a vast library, it promotes conferences and seminars, and offers scholarships to Italian and foreign students. In the same building, there is also the Firpo Foundation, specialised in the history of political thought, that houses the ersonal library of Firpo himself, which has numerous priceless books including many first editions of political classics, the fruits of years of meticulous and passionate research.

The State Archive is housed in the splendid building designed by Filippo Juvarra, on Piazza Castello, where its stunning rooms are still furnished with antiques. The oldest of the Archive's documets is the charter of the foundation of the Abbey of Novalesa, an unusually long scroll written in Merovingian in 726 AD. The archives, originally established to house the documents of the Savoy State, when the Dukedom became a kingdom in 1713, is one of the most important in Europe; a true reference point for historians who need to carry out research studies.

Only a short walk away is the Royal Library, instituted by King Carlo Alberto in 1837, in the right wing of the Royal Palace, with the intention of adding to the existing Royal Book collection. The amle frescoed library lined with walnut bookshelves on two levels, conserves priceless volumes including manuscripts, parchments, folios and incunambula, the "Codex of the Birds" by Leonardo da Vinci, and a priceless collection of drawings, including the "Portrait of an Old Man" in sanguine (probably a self-portrait in sanguine by the same artist).

Another cultural institution promoted by the Savoy dynasty and housed in the building of the same name, is the Academy of Science, founded in 1757 by a group of scientist, including the mathematician Luigi Lagrange. Celebrated for its research in natural, physical and moral sciences, the Academy also owns on outstanding library.