Centro Storico Fiat

Centro Storico Fiat is part of an exhibition centre of excellence for the City of Turin together with Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile, which has taken over its management. Once used for the final phase of car production, the building has preserved its identity by reinventing itself a museum. The metal exhibition elements, designed by architects Roberto Gabetti and Aimaro Isola, have been brought back to their essence, recovering their original appearance. A renovated space, returned to the public to tell a fundamental part of the history of the city and the whole country. This museum hosts exhibitions, events, study and research activities aimed at intensifying dialogue and interactions with universities and research and training institutes in the co-design of content aimed at enhancing the extraordinary archival heritage that is preserved there.

Located in the first extension of the workshops of Corso Dante, where the company was established, the building is the work of Alfredo Premoli, an esteemed exponent of Turin’s Art Nouveau. Designed and built between 1904 and 1906, in 1907 it was opened as a production and finishing workshop, warehouse, garage, exhibition venue and gym.

On 30 May 1961, in the wake of enthusiasm for the celebrations of the centenary of the Unification of Italy, Vittorio Valletta resolved to “collect and order the material that documents the development of Fiat production by setting up a museum“. The Via Chiabrera building was then renovated and photographs, brochures, books, user and maintenance manuals, technical drawings, aircraft engines and scale models were collected and catalogued.

 

Venue for public events since the 1960s, it has been the scene of important moments in the history of Fiat: the first dates back to 4 May 1966 when, in the central hall, Vittorio Valletta signed the agreement with the USSR that led to the construction of the Togliatti plant.

Timeline

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Permanent Collection

On display are some of the most significant cars in Fiat production: from the 3 ½ HP, the first car produced by Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino in 1899, to the 1923 Eldridge Mefistofele which, with its slender silhouette and powerful size, marked one of the first examples of a record-breaking car; from the Fiat 525 SS of 1929, the protagonist of the competitions of elegance and considered the most beautiful Italian car between the 1920s and 1930s, to the 8V of 1952, an extraordinary sports car with fiberglass bodywork, designed by Luigi Rapi.

Research

Centro Storico Fiat promotes studies and research in the technical, economic, humanistic and scientific disciplines and contributes to the experimentation of new tools for the promotion of its documentary heritage, public history activities and participatory archiving.

Documentation Centre

Costituito da Biblioteca, Emeroteca e Archivio, conserva una delle collezioni documentarie e librarie sulla storia della locomozione a motore nel ‘900 più importanti in Europa. Il Centro di Documentazione del MAUTO è uno strumento di emersione di contenuti a servizio della produzione culturale del Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile e opera a sostegno dello sviluppo di percorsi formativi specialistici e di collaborazioni nazionali e internazionali.

COLLECTION VALORIZATION ACTIVITIES

Together with the Conservation and Restoration Centre of Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile, the collection valorization program is divided into a series of public outreach activities.

 

Among these, the guided tours with the conservator are unique opportunities to discover the jewels of the collection, to deepen technical aspects and to learn more about the evolution of automotive engineering. Projects that, by combining maintenance and valorisation, reflect the Museum’s commitment to preserving and telling the car’s historical heritage, making it accessible and bringing it alive for the contemporary public.

 

Contact us for information about your visit

Info and Booking

From Monday to Friday, from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM

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