Museo Piaggio

The Piaggio Museum was inaugurated in March 2000 in the tooling department of the ancient factory, one of the oldest and most evocative units of the Pontedera factory complex, where the company transferred its production in the early ‘20s.

The Museum was created to preserve and highlight the value and the historic legacy of one of the oldest Italian companies, and focuses on the reconstruction of Piaggio activities in the area; exhibiting the most representative and famous products and giving access to the rich documentation of the Piaggio Historical Archive, the museum traces a long period of Italian history, a history made of economic transformations, alongside industrial and social development.

Entirely renovated in 2018, after 18 years of activity and more than 600.000 visitors, the Piaggio Museum has a surface area of 5.000 m², with more than 250 pieces exhibited. It has become today the largest and most comprehensive Italian museum dedicated to two wheels, including many unique examples that do not just tell of the history of the Piaggio Group and its brands, but also trace the history of a country’s mobility and industrial and social development, since the Piaggio story spans the entire history of transport: ships, trains, aeroplanes, cars, scooters and motorcycles have been born out of the parent company and its brands. As such, the Museum is the only one in Italy able to trace the history of a such a highly technological and innovative industry, the evolution of which has marked the history of Italy and Europe.

The Museum halls contain fundamental testaments to Piaggio pre-war aeronautical and rail production, the rich and admired Vespa collection, the Piaggio three and four wheels collection (Ape, Porter, mopeds) and numerous pieces belonging to the motorcycle and sport history of the Group brands: Aprilia, Gilera and Moto Guzzi, which all together boast the brilliant result of 104 world titles in various competitions, from Supermoto to MotoGP, from Trial to SBK.

Alongside the exhibition space dedicated to permanent collections, the Piaggio Museum also dedicates 340 m² to temporary exhibitions, allowing the museum to continuously vary its cultural offer, spanning fields from art to technology, and from scientific disclosure to fashion. Over the years, these spaces have hosted exhibitions, events and works by extraordinary artists such as Dalì, Picasso and, among the Italians, Burri, Nomellini, Viani, Pellizza da Volpedo, Fattori, Modigliani, Carrà, Signorini, Soffici, Spreafico, Nespolo and other major players in the world of modern and contemporary art.

In 2003, the Piaggio Museum and the Historic Archive were awarded Best Museum and Best Business Archive in Italy, during the 2003 Business and Culture Prize-giving.

(excerpt from the official website: www.museopiaggio.it/en)