Tour of the Museo Nicolis:
One of the most interesting private museums in Europe. A visit to it reveals the history of 20th century technology and industry, as well as international design. It is located in the small town of Villafranca di Verona.
Museo Nicolis was founded from the private collection of businessman Luciano Nicolis, who wanted to reveal to the public the amazing treasures created by Italian and international engineers and mechanics. Visitors moving from room to room are exposed to amazing collections that range from historic cars, motorbikes and bicycles, to cameras and typewriters, musical instruments and even a few aircraft.
It was inaugurated in 2000, occupying an exhibition area of more than 6,000 square metres. The museum of cars, engineering and mechanics, based on historical technology, is housed in an ultra-modern building. Luciano surprised visitors by giving details about each individual exhibit, where it came from, its history and the various curiosities associated with it. Nevertheless, when anyone asked about “his collections”, he replied: “We don’t own it all, we are just the custodians of the future”. Today, the museum is run by the famous collector’s daughter.
The Nicolis Museum houses 10 collections, each of which impresses visitors. Among them are more than 200 cars, 100 motorbikes, 110 bicycles of famous champions, 500 film cameras and still cameras, 100 musical instruments and jukeboxes, 100 typewriters, 100 steering wheels of Formula 1 and other racing series. Several small aeroplanes are located on the roof of the building. The museum has an area containing relics from World War I and World War II, while another room displays model cars, motorbikes and trains, as well as original works of human talent.
One of the most incredible items at Museo Nicolis includes one of the earliest three-wheeled vehicles, the Motrice Pia, with the first petrol engine, patented by Veronese Enrico Bernardi in 1882. Isotta Fraschini’s 1929 car, which has been made into a film many times, the Lancia Astura 1000 Miglia, the only model in the world designed for Luigi Villoresi, and many other unique two- and four-wheeled vehicles.
Most of the exhibits are operational, cars drive, other technical objects sound and play, surprising visitors with the craftsmanship and engineering skill with which they were created. The museum has a Conference Centre, an Ideas Room, a Documentation Centre or archive, a library and one of the best bookshops dedicated to the automotive world.
Open all days except Monday, 24, 25, 31 December, 1 January, 1 May
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