Do you want to know some of the best car museums in Italy?
Italy produces some of the finest cars in the world, with the excellent car brands such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Alfa Romeo — to name a few. It’s not surprising to see many car afficionados flocking to car shows in different Italian cities.
If you are to visit Italy and you love cars, be ready to fit to your schedule various car museums. Yes, not only car shows but museums of luxurious and famous car brands that can be found in Italy. These museums are located in various places in the country so you might as well visit one.
Many of these museums do not only showcase different car models from way back to the present but life stories of the car founders and history of every amazing car model as well.
As museum is a place where every piece is of value and significance, surely your visit will be a meaningful and memorable one.
13 Best Car Museums in Italy
Here are the 13 best car museums in Italy that you can visit.
1. Museo Enzo Ferrari — Modena, Italy
Located in the Northern Italian city of Modena, this futuristic-designed car museum focuses on the life and creations of the Ferrari founder, Enzo Ferrari. It is a unique and enthralling museum that takes its visitors back to the roots of not only Italy’s but the world’s most famous marque.
The area used to be the house and workshop of Enzo Ferrari’s father, with an additional structure made by London-based architectural firms Future Systems and Shiro Studios.
The Enzo Ferrari Museum Extension is a visually striking masterpiece in Modena where you can find some of the most beautiful cars ever built in history, from Formula One race cars to latest sports cars and most interesting Ferrari automobiles in the 1950s.
2. Museo Enzo Ferrari — Maranello, Italy
From Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena, you can tour this other Ferrari Museum in Maranello, Italy, by shuttle.
Being the official display location of Ferrari, this Ferrari Museum in Modena attracts more than 200,000 tourists every year. Here you will have the chance to live the “Prancing Horse dream” first-hand.
Since the area does not only cater the museum but the Ferrari factory as well, you will get the chance to roam around the area where cars are made. There are themed areas allocated to Formula One, Sport and Sport-Prototype cars, and Road GranTurismo.
How would you like to sit into the cockpit of a Formula 1? This museum in Maranello will give you that! It does not only allow you to see all Ferrari-related stuff but also let you experience Ferrari rides and other related activities that you will surely treasure.
3. Museo Ferrucio Lamborghini — Argelato, Bologna, Italy
Built by Tonino Lamborghini in memory of his father Ferruccio, founder of the famous Lamborghini brand, this museum is located in the Argelato comune in the Metropolitan City of Bologna, Italy.
The factory-turned-museum is more personal since it exhibits not only the first ever Lamborghini which is the Carioca tractor but also Ferrucio’s very own car collection like the Fiat Barchetta Sport from 1948 Mille Miglia competition and vintage cars like Countach, Espada, Jarama, and Urraco.
The Ferrucio Lamborghini Museum is a museum filled with stories about the world-class brand built with Ferrucio’s essence in it. It also features a vast archive of the Lamborghini family’s photos.
Here you can also have a glimpse of two special stories: the helicopter prototype and the 11-time world champion Fast 45 Diablo Class 1 offshore boat — both with Lamborghini engines.
To intensify your visit, you might be lucky to be personally toured around by Ferrocio’s nephew, Fabio, since the man is very hands-on in the museum.
4. Museo Lamborghini / MUDETEC — Sant’Agata Bolognese, Bologna, Italy
This is another Lamborghini car museum located in Sant’Agata Bolognese in the Metropolitan City of Bologna. If you’re into speed and beauty, this is the place.
The Lamborghini Museum has been updated to MUDETEC, short for Museo Delle Tecnologie (Museum of Technologies), a two-floor museum showcasing the history of creation Lamborghini sport cars and SUVs — from the very first model to the iconic ones. Car enthusiasts will love the display of Lamborghini models, including one-offs and reduced-scale models.
A glance at the Lamborghini factory is possible here since it is connected to the museum. Aside from the factory tour, MUDETEC also features driving simulator for the best Lamborghini experience.
5. Museo Storico Alfa Romeo — Arese, Milan, Italy
Whether or not you’re an Alfa Romeo fan or owner, the Alfa Romeo Historic Museum is an amazing place to visit if you’re in Milan.
Here you can see where it all began — the old Alfa Romeo cars — and a museum shop where you can buy some Alfa Romeo merchandise.
Located in the comune of Arese in the Metropolitan City of Milan, the Alfa Romeo Museum displays the most remarkable and historical models of the former A.L.F.A brand, now the Alfa Romeo.
The place where the museum stands used to be the Alfa Romeo Arese factory. Established in 1976, it was founded by Giuseppe Luraghi and Gaetano Cortesi and owned by Stellantis. After the closedown in 2011, it was opened again in 2015.
A short 4D film showing in the museum’s theatre will amaze you and warm up your tour. Your visit to this museum will take you to the prototype vehicles and vintage models of Alfa Romeo. It will also tell you about the brand’s history, as well as its unique and creative car designs.
6. Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile — Turin, Italy
The Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile or National Automobile Museum in Turin, Italy, is one of the biggest and most significant museums in the country.
Founded by Carlo Bescaratti de Ruffia, this museum caters various car brands and models while sharing along with you the history of each automobile you see.
The museum has more than 30 showrooms that showcase more than 200 cars that were developed in the history of automobiles. Almost 80 of these cars are the representation of eight different countries which are Italy, France, Great Britain, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and the United States.
This is a fun journey through the automotive history from the early days to the modern era, an absolute must-visit if you’re in Turin.
7. Museo Pininfarina — Cambiano, Turin, Italy
Still in the Metropolitan City of Turin, in the comune of Cambiano, the Pininfarina Museum is a small but interesting museum.
It’s a nice place to visit if you want to see some iconic designs, mostly from Italian car makers like the well-known Ferrari models and various Alfa Romeos. The Pininfarina Museum also showcases Peugeot and amazingly, Mitsubishi.
Indeed, among the 50 collections being displayed is Mitsubishi. This is because the Pininfarina car design firm built the Mitsubishi Pajero in 1996.
It’s a fun experience to be able to be so close to various cars that have made automobile history. You can also buy souvenir items from pens to shirts and even suitcases.
Please note before going that reservation is mandatory, with a minimum group of 5 people. Check their website for more information.
8. Museo Horacio Pagani — San Cesario sul Panaro, Italy
In a place found seemingly in the middle of nowhere in San Cesario sul Panaro, Italy, some 25 km. northwest of Bologna and 12 km. southeast of Modena, lies the Horacio Pagani Museum.
It is a museum, design studio, and factory in one, founded by the Italian Argentine businessman and engineer Horacio Pagani. It offers a fabulous range of old, new, special edition, and race cars available for viewing along with the latest Zonda and Huayra models.
Here you will also be able to take a look at the factory and see the actual process of assembling cars, as well as the early clay models of the Huayra. Horacio Pagani’s personal collection of supercars is also available for viewing.
9. Museo Nicolis — Villafranca di Verona, Italy
Nicolis Museum is situated in the Venetian town of Villafranca di Verona in the northeastern part of Italy.
The museum caters varieties of car brands based on cultural and historical contributions. Here you can see how various car models develop as time passes by.
Started in 1934 by Francesco Nicolis together with his son Luciano and daughter Sylvia, this family created the museum to able to share their passion and mechanical skills with the world through their car creations.
The museum has hundreds of car collections as well as motorbikes and bicycles, different types of cameras and typewriters, and back to various F1 steering wheels. One of the most notable in the museum collection is the 1929 Issota Fraschini used in the movie Sunset Boulevard.
Truly, this museum is an epitome of innovative creations and progress.
10. Museu Mille Miglia — Sant’Eufemia della Fonte, Italy
The Mille Miglia Car Museum can be found inside a historic monastery, the St. Eufemia Monastery, making it unique from all the other museums. It’s in Sant’Eufemia della Fonte, a frazione of the Lombard province of Brescia.
The Mille Miglia Museum’s role is not just for keeping and displaying cars, but to revive the famous sporting event as well.
With the help of various collectors and the cooperation of other car museums, many things have been materialized including partnership with the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany.
The Mille Miglia Museum pays tributes to the cars, their drivers, as well as the stories behind every race through every car collection and souvenir.
Car models displayed in this museum are from the 1920s. Among the featured unique cars are those that joined the Mille Miglia yearly car events. Rare archives are also found here, which are best reference for research when it comes to classic car sporting events and races.
11. Stanguellini Classic Car Museum — Modena, Italy
Before Enzo Ferrari and the Maserati siblings there were the Stanguellini father and son Francisco and Vittoro, the oldest in the history of car creations.
In fact, Vittoro was considered the father of the Formula Junior by the motor racing press around the globe. He was also called “the transformer” because of his ability to turn cars from scratch into race cars.
1995 was the year when the Stanguellini Classic Cars Museum was born. It is a famous museum established by a famous Italian family whose creations are all vintage.
Showcased in this museum — and available for free viewing provided you are booked — are Stanguillini cars and race souvenirs. The family’s own collection of cars like the Alfa Romeo, Maserati, and Porsche are also on display.
One of the most interesting cars you will see in this museum is the Fiat Type 0, the oldest car in Modena, bearing the “MO 1” license plate. It’s the first car ever to be registered in Modena, which took place in 1910.
12. Museo della Ford Paolo Gratton — Farra d’Isonzo, Italy
Ford may not be from Italy but the car dealer Paolo Gratton is. He was one of the biggest Ford dealers in Italy. Thus, Ford Paolo Gratton museum was founded.
Ford Paolo Gratton Museum is located in the northeastern Italian town of Farra d’Isonzo, in the Friulan province of Gorizia.
This is where Gratton’s car collection and other memorabilias are being displayed. These include the 1902 Oldsmobile Curved Dash, 1918 Fiat 501, 1934 Lancia Augusta, and a good number of vintage cars made by the American automobile manufacturer, Ford Motor Company.
The museum takes pride in splendid specimens of functioning, pearly, and original cars. It does look like the old Ford Trieste factory in the 1920s, so you’ll get the feeling that time has stopped for the duration of your visit.
You can enjoy the free entrance visit by appointment.
13. Museo Ducati — Bologna, Italy
Although Ducati is not a car brand, you would not want to miss the opportunity to visit this museum and be captivated by the various motorcycle models.
- ALSO READ: 10 Best Italian Motorcycle Brands
The Ducati Museum is designed to tell the history of the company — from the road motorcycles marking the different eras to the racing bikes parade and the milestones in the company’s history.
The museum is at the Ducati factory in Bologna, where you can see the collection of Ducati motorcycles and some early non-automotive products. It is easy to visit since it’s near the Ferrari and Lamborghini Museums.
Love this article! Very comprenhensive. Keep it up!