Alfa Romeo opens new renovated museum in Arese

Architect Benedetto Camerana was commissioned to revamp to the old Alfa Romeo Museum in Arese, which had been closed for six years

(Image credit: press)

By Elly Parsons

last updated 20 October 2022

The man behind Turin's Juventus Museum and the Peterson Museum in Los Angeles has turned his hand to the Alfa Romeo Museum in Arese, near Milan.

Tasked with re-launching the objectives of the Alfa Romeo brand, as well as preserving and modernising the building, Benedetto Camerana started work in summer 2014, completing the project within a year.

Balancing history and the contemporary was crucial for Camerana – not only to reflect the evolution of Alfa Romeo, but to correspond with the requirements of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage. The governing body asked Camerana to show respect for the dated – yet charming – 1960s structure.

Camerana makes use of the three original floors by giving them a corresponding brand point: timeline, beauty and speed. The 'beauty' floor is characterised by clean lines and uncluttered display spaces, reminicent of an old coach factory. The 'timeline' space features a giant, light-tunnel display in a glass atrium, while the 'speed' area, with its blackened floor, could be lifted straight from the racetrack.

The largest architectural change to the building comes in the form of the impressive ‘Romeo-red’ structure that stretches the length of the structure, resembling a futuristic exhaust-pipe. With additions such as this alongside the complete interior revamp, Camerana created an entirely new museum, without sacrificing the integrity of the original building.

Glass features heavily in the new interior, especially in the 'timeline' space, which shows the evolution and history of this iconic brand

Pictured: the Alfa Romeo RL Super Sport, from 1925 – the first car Alfa produced after the First World War

Pictured: an Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider prototype, from 1955

Most famous sporting hero models are on display — The 'speed' floor has low lighting and a blackened floor, reminiscent of a race track. Here, some of Alfa's most famous sporting hero models are on display

The design-orientated aspects of the brand's history

The 'beauty' floor is light and airy, and celebrates the design-orientated aspects of the brand's history

(Image credit: press)

The museum also houses important memorabilia, along with audio clips, video and photography

The Alfa Carabo was a Bertone-penned concept car — Pictured: the Alfa Carabo was a Bertone-penned concept car created for the 1968 Paris Motor Show

INFORMATION

For more information and opening times, visit Alfa Romeo Musuem’s website

ADDRESS

Museo Alfa Romeo
Viale Alfa Romeo
20020 Arese

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Elly Parsons is the Digital Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees Wallpaper.com and its social platforms. She has been with the brand since 2015 in various roles, spending time as digital writer – specialising in art, technology and contemporary culture – and as deputy digital editor. She was shortlisted for a PPA Award in 2017, has written extensively for many publications, and has contributed to three books. She is a guest lecturer in digital journalism at Goldsmiths University, London, where she also holds a masters degree in creative writing. Now, her main areas of expertise include content strategy, audience engagement, and social media.

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