Car Museum of San Martino in Rio -

The Museum's history

not only cars

The first ancient cars arrived in San Martino in Rio in 1956. They were old wrecks, often painted in a picturesque way.

The creators of this collection were Domenico Gentili from Bologna, Giulio Campari and Emilio Storchi (called "Barighin") from San Martino in Rio.

Barighin was given the task of travelling around Italy and collecting as many old cars as possible. He found a Salmson in Naples, a Rolls Royce Phantom in Palermo and many other cars.

At the beginning of 60s he found the Auto Avio Costruzioni 815, the first car built by Enzo Ferrari, in a scrapyard of war materials. The car was ready to be disassembled, because its body was in aluminium and this metal was very expensive in that time. Barighin offered to pay it as if it was completely built in aluminium, saving the precious 815 car.

Meanwhile, movie stars and important politicians came to San Martino in Rio to visit this unusual "museum".

But in 1975, after Barighin’s death and due to some difficulties Mr. Gentili had in that period, the collection was transferred in Panzano di Castelfranco (Modena), at Mario Righini’s museum.

In 1981 a group of friends living in San Martino in Rio bought back part of the old museum seat that was then expanded to present size in 1993.

Today about 40 old cars and 10 old motorbikes are exhibited in the Car Museum of San Martino in Rio. Our museum has been included in the Italian Motor Valley museum circuit, with the patronage of Emilia Romagna Region.