Which Ferrari Museum is Best? Museo Ferrari Maranello vs Museo Enzo Ferrari Modena
When it comes to Italy’s famous “Motor Valley,” there really are no shortage of car-related museums to choose from, whether you’re a fan of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Pagani, Alfa Romeo… well, you get the idea.
But by far the most popular car museums in northern Italy are the two sister Ferrari museums, one in the town of Modena, and the other just down the road in Ferrari’s hometown of Maranello.
For huge Ferrari fans, visiting both Ferrari museums is probably a must. But for more casual fans, or people who have less time in this part of Italy, you might want to just visit one. So then the question becomes: which Ferrari museum is best?
“Best” is, of course, subjective. What might be best for one person might not be best for another. So I’m going to tell you what each Ferrari museum is like and what you can expect to see at each one to help you decide which one is right for you!
(Elliot and I visited both Ferrari museums on our own Motor Valley trip through the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. We went to both in one day with a rental car, which is totally do-able without rushing!)
Where are the Ferrari museums?
There are two Ferrari museums: Museo Ferrari in the town of Maranello (where Ferrari is headquartered) and Museo Enzo Ferrari in the town of Modena (where Ferrari’s founder was born). The museums are a little over 20 kilometers (about 12.5 miles) apart.
Both museums have Ferrari cars on display, but they offer completely different experiences when you visit!
Which Ferrari Museum is better?
Okay, let’s get into the comparison section, where we’ll talk about the experience of visiting each Ferrari museum.
Museo Ferrari Maranello
This is the OG Ferrari museum in Italy, which opened in 1990 just down the road from Ferrari’s factory in Maranello. The museum was fully taken over by Ferrari in 1995, and expanded in 2004 to its current size of roughly 2500 square meters (almost 27,000 square feet).
The Maranello Ferrari Museum focuses on Ferrari’s history and innovation, and its transition from race cars to road cars. There’s a little bit of everything at this museum, from historic race cars to more modern Ferrari designs, plus displays that delve into Ferrari’s innovation and design.
What you’ll see
The Ferrari Museum in Maranello is divided up into many small rooms, most holding anywhere from 1-4 cars along with printed displays and some other small items. Each section of the museum focuses on different aspects of Ferrari, including the company origins, its dedication to technological innovation, design details, and more.
The main attraction here is the large amount of displays dedicated to Scuderia Ferrari and the team’s history in Formula 1. There are lots of F1 cars on display alongside trophies, helmets, and more.
This is also the museum with some F1-related experiences, including the famous Ferrari race simulators, and even a “pit stop experience.” Elliot initially didn’t want to pay the extra €30 to try to simulators, but I talked him into it and he admitted that it was indeed pretty cool.
Who it’s best for
This museum is the one you want to visit if you’re a big Ferrari F1 fan. The other cars and exhibits on display are cool, too, but it’s the F1 displays I remember the most.
Note: The Maranello museum is currently undergoing some renovations (as of summer 2026), however they still have the same number of cars on display as always!
Museo Enzo Ferrari Modena
The Ferrari Museum in Modena is not the same as the one in Maranello. This completely separate museum opened in 2012 and focuses on the life and work of Enzo Ferrari, the founder of Ferrari.
The Museo Enzo Ferrari Modena comprises two main buildings: a smaller one inside a former house and workshop that belonged to Enzo Ferrari’s father, and a much larger and futuristic-looking one that is a huge gallery of notable Ferrari cars.
What you’ll see
In the smaller building at the Modena Ferrari Museum (which is built on the spot of Enzo Ferrari’s birthplace and workshop), you’ll find some exhibits about Enzo Ferrari’s life and the early days of Ferrari, along with exhibits about Ferrari engines.
Some of the info here is repeated in the Maranello museum, but it’s presented differently and there are different cars and parts on display.
In the larger Modena building, you can walk amongst a huge collection of Ferrari cars, from rare models to F1 cars to current road cars. The cars on display in here do rotate and change periodically, so don’t expect it to look exactly as it does in my photos when you go!
In the large display gallery, they also play a short film about Enzo Ferrari periodically. It’s projected onto a wall and part of the ceiling, so you can see it from anywhere inside the gallery.
Who it’s best for
If you’re less interested in Formula 1 and just want to get up close to some very cool cars, then the Modena Ferrari museum might be the better choice for you. Yes, there are still plenty of old F1 cars here to see, but there are also so many other cars on display.
Museo Ferrari Maranello vs Museo Enzo Ferrari Modena
You can clearly see that both museums are pretty cool! And also fairly different, both in design and content.
If you can only visit one Ferrari museum, I honestly can’t say that one is “better” than the other. It totally depends on whether you’re more of a Ferrari Formula 1 fan, or more of a fan of Ferrari’s road cars.
I say do what we did, and visit both! (You’ll want to allow at least 1-2 hours at each museum, plus at least half an hour to travel between the two — but it’s totally possible to visit both in one day.)
Ferrari museum logistics
Both Ferrari museums have parking lots right outside if you’re visiting with a car (which I highly recommend in this part of Italy). If you don’t have a car, however, you can reach Modena via train, and then there’s a shuttle that travels between Modena and Maranello (pre-book shuttle tickets here).
Maranello vs. Modena
In terms of comparing these cities themselves… Maranello is the home of Ferrari. This is where you want to be if you want to stroll past the Ferrari factory (or go on an F1 factory tour), test drive a car, and maybe hear cars testing at the Fiorano track. This is the place to stay for die-hard Ferrari fans (check out our Maranello F1 guide).
If you want to stay in Maranello, some hotel/B&B options to consider include BBSuite 21, Hotel Maranello Village, and Maranello Palace.
Modena is where Enzo Ferrari was born, and it’s a much bigger city than Maranello. Modena is where you want to stay if you want to do some things beyond the Ferrari museums; there are more restaurant options and things to do here.
Hotel options in Modena include the Best Western Premier Milano Palace, and Casa Enzo – Old Town & Station.
Ferrari Museum tickets and tours
You can buy tickets for each museum separately, or you can purchase a combo ticket (or “Museum Pass”) for both museums:
There are also tickets that combine one or both museums with other Ferrari experiences:
And if you aren’t planning to stay in Modena or Maranello but still want a Ferrari experience, here are some day trips you can take from other nearby cities:
Which Ferrari museum would YOU most want to visit?
