Ferrari doesn’t just set speed records, but ticket sales records too. The Ferrari Museums (there are actually two) attracted a total of more than 600,000 visitors last year, and it hopes to smash that record again in 2020. That’s a 12% increase on visitor numbers in 2018.
Museo Ferrari in Maranello drew over 400,000 visitors last year, while Museo Enzo Ferrari (MEF) in Modena attracted 200,000 visitors. Those increases have been attributed partly to sales of single-entry tickets for both venues – an increase of over 50% on 2018 sales of the tickets – as well as a slew of side attractions, making it simpler than ever for visitors to tailor their visit to suit their particular interests.
Both museums house permanent exhibitions and have areas set aside for temporary exhibitions and special events. Museo Ferrari in Maranello – just a couple of hundred metres down the road from the factory that produces those legendary prancing horse cars – contains a sweeping history of Scuderia Ferrari’s racing history in Formula 1 and sports car formats in its permanent exhibition area. It also contains 25 examples of its most iconic race and road cars, prototypes, photos, videos and memorabilia of its history, and a store selling branded merchandise.
For those wanting a near-driving experience, there is a Formula 1 simulator, in which visitors can imagine driving a Formula 1 Ferrari on famous tracks such as Monza, Silverstone, Nürbürgring, Imola and SPA Francorchamps. The ‘car’ gives visitors the opportunity to experience what it’s like racing on the track of their choice, with realistic impressions of the track surface, throttle and brake responses – delivering all the thrills of a Ferrari F1 car on a racetrack.
There are also interactive events such as pit-stop trials and personal photo opportunities in a Ferrari. The only disappointment is Ferrari does not offer factory tours, although visitors can take in the company’s Fiorano track on a dedicated shuttle bus.
The Museo Enzo Ferrari in Modena, about 20 kilometres away, is a dedication to founder Enzo, and contains a reconstruction of his first office in 1929, where he first dreamed of building iconic racing cars, along with models and test studies of the first cars carrying the Ferrari name. There are also exclusive Ferrari Gran Turismo engines and cars in permanent exhibition.
Free shuttle buses run between the two museums every 90 minutes to make it easy to visit both of them.
The two museums also offer visitors the chance to drive on the Modena racetrack for 15 minutes in their own car. All they need to do is present their Ferrari Museum ticket at the Autodromo di Modena and experience the thrill of real circuit time, for just 35 euros. Each driver has a host and professional driver to guide them through the track’s main features and safety measures.
Museo Ferrari’s latest exhibition, which opened on January 15, is ‘Ferrari at 24 Heures du Mans’, celebrating Ferrari’s glorious victories over 70 years in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Also on show are two current exhibitions – ‘90 Anni’, an homage to Scuderia Ferrari’s history, and ‘Hypercars’, showing the limited-edition special series that has been most influenced by Ferrari’s signature track-to-road technology transfers.
Both museums are open every day except December 25 and January 1.
