Nicolis Museum Verona: 100 F1 steering wheels and 1,000 objects

Eight collections, 1,000 objects, and a century of how we learned to move

The Nicolis Museum in Verona is a self-guided tour through eight themed collections of rare automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, airplanes, cameras, musical instruments, typewriters and motors — over 1,000 objects gathered by founder Luciano Nicolis across decades. The museum spans roughly two hours and includes access to the complete collection, with the rare Formula 1 steering wheels (100 of them) as the centerpiece. Wheelchair accessible and suited to all fitness levels; children must be accompanied by an adult.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Museo Nicolis Verona

• Arrive at Museo Nicolis Verona
• Explore automobile collection
• View motorcycles and bicycles
• See airplanes and motors
• Discover musical instruments and cameras
• Examine typewriters and computers
• Observe racecars and military objects
• Learn about rare historic vehicles

The Experience

Founded in 2000 by Luciano Nicolis, a businessman obsessed with old cars and mechanics, this museum is not a traditional display case but a working space for culture and ideas. The collection tells the story of how humans solved the problem of distance — what it took to move faster, farther, higher. Eight themed categories organize the objects: automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, airplanes, musical instruments, cameras, typewriters and computers, motors, racecars and military machines. The museum holds over 1,000 pieces gathered from around the world, many impossible to find anywhere else today.

The Formula 1 steering wheels are what draw most visitors — 100 wheels from 100 cars, a collection that exists nowhere else in this form. But the real draw is the depth: you'll stand in front of the first motorcycle to run on gasoline, built in 1882, and then walk through a century of engineering that follows. The objects are arranged so you can move through them at your own pace, spending time on what catches you and moving past what doesn't. There's no narration, no group, no schedule — just you, the machines, and the story they tell about speed, precision and human ambition.

The space itself is modern and designed for the digital age, not a dusty archive. You navigate it on your own, which means you can linger over a particular engine or camera collection as long as you want, or move through the whole thing in two hours if you're pressed for time. Wheelchair access is available throughout, and the museum welcomes all fitness levels — it's as much about standing and looking as it is about walking.

What’s included

• Access to all eight themed collections.
• the complete display of 100 Formula 1 steering wheels.
• over 1,000 rare automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, airplanes, cameras, musical instruments, motors and other inventions.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessible

Operated by Museo Nicolis

Is this one for you?Go if you want to spend two hours with machines and engineering rather than crowds and commentary — the self-guided format and the depth of the collection make it worth the time, especially if you're drawn to how things work rather than how they look.

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Top questions

What are the eight collections at the Nicolis Museum?

The Nicolis Museum organizes its 1,000 objects into eight themed categories: automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, airplanes, musical instruments, cameras, typewriters and computers, and motors — plus separate displays of racecars and military machines. Each collection tells part of the larger story of human transportation and invention.

How long does it take to visit the Nicolis Museum?

A complete visit takes roughly two hours, though you can spend more or less time depending on which collections interest you most. The self-guided format means you set the pace.

Are the Formula 1 steering wheels really the only collection of its kind?

The Nicolis Museum holds 100 Formula 1 steering wheels from 100 different cars — a collection that exists nowhere else in this form. It's the museum's most famous piece and the reason many visitors come.

Do I need a guide to visit the Nicolis Museum?

No guide is included with entry. You explore the eight collections on your own, at your own pace, with no narration or group schedule. The museum is designed as a self-guided experience.

Is the museum accessible for people with mobility challenges?

Yes, the Nicolis Museum is wheelchair accessible throughout. It's also suitable for all physical fitness levels, since you can move through the collections at whatever pace works for you.

What's the earliest object in the museum's collection?

The first motorcycle to run on gasoline, built in 1882, is one of the rarest pieces on display. From there, the collections trace a century of how transportation and mechanical invention evolved.