[AshSimmonds]

From Fiat to Ferrari: Italian museums show off 110 years of history

By GREG MIGLIORE

A pedestrian Fiat in the hallowed halls of the Ferrari museum in Maranello? Some Tifosi would cry blasphemy. But not this summer, when a group of Italian museums plays host to an exhibition detailing 110 years of that country’s iconic automobiles.

And travelers looking for a car fix abroad will want to put the showcase on their itinerary. It’s called “L’Automobile Italiana 1899-2009,” and it highlights the historical impact that cars have had on that country’s culture.

The Galleria Ferrari, the official museum of the Prancing Horse, will show off four icons from other Italian carmakers: the 1907 Fiat 130 HP, the 1954 Lancia Aurelia B 24, the 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 B and the 1948 Maserati A6 1500.

The exhibit also will include photos and videos about the long histories of the Italian brands. It looks at the automobile through several different lenses, including advertisements used to move the sheetmetal, as well as the science and technology underneath.

The exhibit could give Americans a deeper perspective on Italian cars, which have come into the spotlight recently with the Chrysler-Fiat alliance that’s expected to bring Fiats and Alfa Romeos to the United States.

Five museums, including private showcases dedicated to Maserati and Fiat, are included on the tour.

An added incentive: Visitors dropping by one of the museums will get reduced-price admission at the others if they present a ticket stub. The exhibition runs through Oct. 31.

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http://www.autoweek.com/article/20090615/CARNEWS/906159983