Media | Articles
11 Italian Car Museums to Add to Your Travel Itinerary
The great thing about auto museums is that there are thousands of them, all over the world, many of which are nestled away in places you might not have heard of and just waiting to be discovered. For auto enthusiasts on vacation, adding car museums to your itinerary can be a great way to sprinkle in some excitement that isn’t rooted in seeing ancient ruins, an open-top bus tour around some faraway city, another tasting at a darling vinyard, or whatever else people do while on vacation. So, if your upcoming holiday plans happen to include Italy, here are 11 great museums that dot the northern part of the country shaped like a boot. Adding any or all to your plans would no doubt round out the experience.
Museo Alfa Romeo
Where: Milan
Discover the fascinating story of Alfa Romeo through a narrative that spans more than a century. This enormous collection brings iconic road cars and racing heroes to the fore. There’s also a chance to get up close to concept cars that shaped the future of automotive design.
The museum hosts special events and themed exhibitions throughout the year, and guided tours of the basement collection, with even more treasures, are also available.
Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile (Mauto)
Where: Turin
Located in the heart of the Italian motoring industry, Turin, this wide-ranging museum tells the story of the car from its very beginning right up to the modern day. However, more than just cars, it tells the wider social and technological stories behind modern mobility. You can also dive into the story of Turin’s automotive heritage and discover insights from the legends of automotive design.
There are themed exhibits and events throughout the year, so plenty of reasons to return periodically.
Heritage Hub (Stellantis)
Where: Turin
If you have a hankering for Lancia, Fiat, Alfa Romeo, and Abarth, then you’ll love this 300-plus collection of historic motorsport stars and concept cars. It’s located in the historic Mirafiori plant, which is still home to the Italian car world’s design hub. Guided tours are available.
Museo Enzo Ferrari
Where: Modena
Dedicated to company founder Enzo Ferrari, this two-part museum firstly tells the story of Il Commentadore in his former home, which sits in the centre of Modena. It contains a reproduction of his original office, but there’s also much more in the main exhibition hall. Here you can see ever-changing themed exhibits that show off the grand history of the marque, often with rarely seen one-offs. You can also get a bus ticket to the Ferrari Museum in Maranello from here.
Museo Ferrari
Where: Maranello
Located just a thousand feet from Ferrari’s HQ, the Museo Ferrari is a treasure trove of historic road cars, Formula 1 machines, and concept cars from throughout its storied history.
There are themed exhibits each year, and both discounts and transport are available if bought in addition to the Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari ticket.
Maserati Headquarters
Where: Modena
Just a short walk from the Casa Enzo Ferrari, you can visit the global headquarters of Maserati. There is a small display area with rotating themed exhibitions, and there’s also the chance to book a guided tour of this historic factory to see the latest creations.
Collection Umberto Panini
Where: Modena
In the mid-1990s, former Maserati worker and local agriculture magnate—and, incidentally, founder of the Panini sticker empire—stepped in to save Maserati’s historic collection for the nation. Today his sons carry on his work, and in 2025 the collection moves to a new location at the Autodromo di Modena, with new exhibits planned.
Museo Ferrucio Lamborghini
Where: Bologna
This collection tells the story of Ferruccio Lamborghini, from his manufacturing beginnings to his tractor empire to his eponymous supercar company. The wide-ranging assemblage brings out rarities from the personal Lamborghini family collection.
It also features a reconstruction of Ferruccio’s first office at the Lamborghini Tractors company, as well as a helicopter prototype and the Class 1 Fast 45 Diablo offshore boat.
Horatio Pagani Museo
Where: San Cesario sul Panaro, near Modena
Follow Horacio Pagani’s story as he began a car design career in his native Argentina, before heading to Italy to work for Lamborghini. Then follow his path as he struck out on his own, forming the Pagani Automobili empire. It’s a fascinating display of not only the cars but also the tools that helped forge the legend.
Automobili Lamborghini Museum
Where: Sant’Agata Bolognese, near Modena
The official Lamborghini museum tells the story of the famous firm, from its origins with the 350GT, right up to the modern day. You’ll get to see very early production versions of the Countach, plus prototypes and one-offs from more recent times.
Museo Stanguellini Automobili
Where: Modena
Located in the very workshops where Vittorio Stanguellini worked on his famous racing cars, this collection charts the story of the business from its pre-car era through to its innovative days at the forefront of motorsport success, plus his foray into road cars.
So Modena is where to go for the most selection of museums it seems.
Excellent information for your trip to Italy. Amazing cars and history. I missed a couple and now I have to go back. Soon I hope.
I know, the title of the article indicates the list will consist of car museums; but I want to add one that belongs right up there in importance with (and in my opinion surpassing most) of the above. The Ducati museum in Bologna.
https://www.ducati.com/ww/en/borgo-panigale-experience
As long as you’re in that neck of the woods, check out the Prince of Monaco’s collection.
I’ve got a few more on that list to do, and I’ve got two to add –
The Piaggio Museum, in Pontedera – it’s an easy train ride from Florence. We discovered this free gem by accident on our way to the train station in Pontedera from a nearby small town. https://www.museopiaggio.it/
And the Museo Gottard Park – an interesting place with an eclectic collection of cars, motorbikes, airplanes, tanks, and much more – stored inside and out. Also discovered this one while driving past – it’s up north near Lago Maggiore, in Castelletto Sopra Ticino – https://www.gottardpark.com/
I would also like to add one to the list: The Museo Mille Miglia in Brescia (https://www.museomillemiglia.it/en/). Wonderful collection housed in a great facility honoring the Mille Miglia.