Opened in 1932, the one in Turin is one of the oldest Automobile Museums in the world. Take a tour of a factory aboard a roller coaster car, in a design studio, in a workshop, and … on a 1960s beach.
The Turin Automobile Museum is a place where the history of automobiles comes to life. Founded in 1932 by Cesare Goria Gatti and Roberto Biscaretti di Ruffia, this museum was born from the idea of preserving the memory of a century that changed the world. Its genesis dates back to a congress of the Turin Automobile Club, an event that marked the beginning of a journey dedicated to preserving automotive history.
Beyond FIAT, Turin has been the cradle of numerous other car manufacturers and coachbuilders, as well as some of the greatest car designers such as Pininfarina, Bertone, Gandini, Giugiaro, who left an indelible mark on automotive history. The National Automobile Museum of Turin, with its unique collection of over 200 vehicles from 80 different brands, is an ideal place to explore this heritage and offers a comprehensive view of the evolution of automobiles over time.
What to See at the Automobile Museum
The museum’s scenographic layout was curated by François Confino, also responsible for the Cinema Museum at Mole Antonelliana. The rooms have been transformed into evocative environments where vehicles are displayed in contexts that highlight their history and design.
The exhibition path of the Turin Automobile Museum spans three main floors, each dedicated to a specific thematic section.
Second Floor: “The Automobile and the Twentieth Century”
This section tells the story of automobiles in the historical and cultural context of the twentieth century. It also includes a collection of American cars from their golden years, offering a comprehensive view of automobile evolution during that century.
First Floor: “The Automobile and Man”
This section explores the relationship between humans and cars, with eight rooms dedicated to various aspects of cars, from production to design, marketing to motorsport. One of the most interesting rooms is “AuTorino“, which retraces the history of Turin’s automotive industry, and the “Formula” room, featuring single-seaters from all eras.
Ground Floor: “The Automobile and Design”
This section celebrates the evolution of car design and its great masters. The gallery is very beautiful, where great car designers such as Pininfarina, Giugiaro, Gandini, show their favorite model (many have chosen the Citroen DS).
On the ground floor there are also temporary exhibitions, here for example the one on Rallys. Additionally, the museum offers an Open Garage on its underground floor, where about seventy vehicles are restored and preserved. This space is visitable by reservation.
The MAUTO Collection
The collection of the Turin Automobile Museum is rich in historic and iconic vehicles that represent the evolution of the automobile. Among the most interesting is the Peugeot Type 3 from 1892, considered the first car to circulate in Italy. Another noteworthy vehicle is the Benz Victoria model, an example of early internal combustion engine cars, tied to the story of Bertha Benz, who traveled 190 km with a similar vehicle in 1888.
The Jamais Contente by Camille Jenatzy is an electric vehicle that reached 105 km/h in 1899, considered a pioneer of speed. The FIAT 4 HP from 1899 is FIAT’s first model, while the FIAT 35/45 HP won the Peking-Paris race in 1907.
The Cisitalia 202 from 1947 is considered one of the most beautiful cars of the 20th century and was also exhibited at MoMA in New York.
The Citroen DS from 1955 is an innovative model that revolutionized the automotive market with 13 patents. Finally, the Fiat Turbina from 1954 is the only one of its kind in the world, an experimental prototype with a turbine engine.
These vehicles represent significant moments in automotive history and provide a comprehensive view of the technical and stylistic evolution of cars.
For more information: www.museoauto.it