The National Automobile Museum (MAUTO) embodies the history of the development of Made in Turin cars and the stories associated with its rich collection, consisting of designers, pilots and innovation.
This temple of cars, restored to the city in 2011 following a restyling by the architect Cino Zucchi and enhanced by installations and layouts by set designer François Confino, was originally established in 1932 on the left bank of the Po River and opened in 1960. The idea of building an automobile museum was conceived by Italian motoring pioneers and FIAT (then FCA and now part of the Stellantis group) founding members, Cesare Goria Gatti and Roberto Biscaretti di Ruffia. The oldest section of the museum is dedicated to Roberto Biscaretti’s son Carlo who conceived and put together the initial collection of cars, chassis and engines.
The oldest section of the museum is dedicated to Roberto Biscaretti’s son Carlo who conceived and put together the initial collection of cars, chassis and engines. Spread over three floors, the National Automobile Museum “Avv. Giovanni Agnelli” takes visitors on an entertaining and educational journey through the world of vintage and dream cars, with a focus on the development of Italian car design, which calls Turin home. Inside the museum, accompanied by the sounds of 1970s songs and the roar of Formula 1 cars, visitors can admire a collection of more than 200 original automobiles from 80 different automotive companies. Several multimedia experiences, themed displays, dedicated Apps and screenings are designed to cater to a younger audience.
Other highlights include an events space, a congress centre, a bookshop, a café/restaurant, a documentation center, and an area dedicated to temporary exhibitions. Particular attention is paid to the theme of races, the focal point of a thematic area of the permanent display where racing cars and F1 single-seaters from the turn of the 20th century to the present are hosted. These include Michael Schumacher’s 1996 Ferrari F310, the Alfa Romeo 179B single-seater and the 155 V6, renowned for having dominated in the world of DTM.
