The only visitors allowed inside Scuderia Ferrari, where the famed Italian autos with the prancing horse badge are built and tested, are owners and people who know a guy who know a guy. But after decades of exclusivity, Ferrari S.p.A. decided to share the cars from its past and present with everyone who passes through the small town of Maranello, Italy.
In 1990, the town of Maranello opened Galleria Ferrari, which it owned and managed until 1995, when Ferrari took over its operations. (The city still owns the building.) In 2004, a new wing was added, which increased the museum’s size by a third, to 2,500 square meters.
Past, Present, and Future on Display
Though many of the exhibits at the Galleria change often, there is a permanent historic exhibit that includes the first Ferrari, the 1947 125 S that won the Rome Grand Prix. Enzo Ferrari’s office was brought from the site of the original factory in nearby Modena, Italy, to the museum, where Enzo’s furniture and personal items are on display.
The 40 cars on display are divided into several areas. The Formula 1 section has examples from Ferrari’s earliest racing period through the modern F1 era, including Michael Schumacher’s 2003 Marlboro Ferrari. This car won Schumacher his sixth Driver’s title, and Ferrari its fifth consecutive Constructor’s prize.
The road cars on display naturally span the company’s entire history. The earliest post-War models, like the staid 166 Inter and 166 Inter Coupe, are hardly recognizable as Ferraris to those accustomed to the more modern, aerodynamic Testarossa and Enzo.
The museum also traditionally displays new models at the same time that they make their world debut at the international auto shows.
A Picture’s Worth 1,000 Horses
The Galleria’s themed exhibits usually feature photography, memorabilia, and even a car or two to capture an aspect of Ferrari’s place in global culture. Past exhibits have included “Ferrari and Women,” a collection of photographs from the past 60 years depicting women and their beloved Ferraris, including Brigitte Bardot and Zsa Zsa Gabor.
Besides the standard-issue museum gift shop and caffetteria, both of which the Galleria has, there is also a photo booth where visitors can create souvenir pictures of themselves in the Formula 1 Ferrari pits or in the racecar itself. Two race simulators bring the cars to life at a fraction of the price of the real thing. Choose from a GT road car or the F1 Ferrari to race at a number of world-class tracks.
Planning a Visit
Maranello is located between Bologna and Milan along a quiet stretch of road that otherwise wouldn’t rate a stop, but anyone driving the A1 might as well spend an afternoon at Galleria Ferrari. The museum has regular hours, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., but closes for holidays. The easiest way to make sure it’ll be open when you arrive in Italy is to send an email.
Galleria Ferrari
Via Dino Ferrari 43
Maranello (MO), Italy
galleria@ferrari.it
phone: +39 0536 943-204
fax: +39 0536 949-714
