Construction starts on new Ferrari museum
Piero Ferrari (left) and Giorgio Pighi, mayor of Modena, uncover the sculpture, which symbolizes the cornerstone of the new Enzo Ferrari Museum. In the center is Don Sergio Mantovani, known as “The priest of racing cars and drivers”.
Modena (Italy) - With a simple ceremony, the construction work of the new Enzo Ferrari Museum was started April 20 at his birthplace in Modena, Italy.
During the ceremony, Piero Ferrari, Enzo’s son, Giorgio Pighi, mayor of Modena, and Mauro Tedeschini, president of the Enzo Ferrari Birthplace Foundation, uncovered a special sculpture that symbolizes the shape of the new museum.
The original building where Enzo Ferrari was born in 1898 will be fully restored and integrated in the new building whose roof is shaped like the engine cover of a racing car. The form and the yellow colours are already an icon of the town, well in advance of the completion in 2011.
Piero Ferrari commented: “The restoration of the birthplace of my father and the new building make true his dream and lifelong work and passion: automobiles and racing.”
The Museum celebrates not only the dream of the young Enzo Ferrari, but also the achievements of the many workers and entrepreneurs who made Modena and the area of the Emilia-Romagna Region, today known as “Motor Valley”, the world capital of motor sports. Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, Dallara, Ducati are the brands with worldwide appeal and awareness still active in racing and production. Historical brands like Stanguellini, Ats, Minardi, Tecno, De Tomaso, Demm, Bimota, Morini, Minarelli were also located in the Motor Valley.
The museum is located in a presently neglected area in the centre of Modena, where the industrialization of the town began in the 19th century. It will host a collection of cars and memorabilia related to Enzo Ferrari as the symbol of the motor heritage of Modena.
Cars are the protagonists in the new gallery: they will be displayed atop designer’s platforms, as they were masterpieces of art and miracles of engineering.
The Museum will also include a documentation centre with a computer room to access the database of images and documents on the motor history of Modena. The core is the Swaters Collection, the largest one on Enzo Ferrari. The digitalization has already been completed by the Foundation. Cafeteria, bookshop, conference space with up to 200 seats, and space for temporary exhibits will complete the facility. The Foundation Web site is: www.fondazionecasanataleenzoferrari.com
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