Museo Officine Benelli

The Museo Officine Benelli occupies the former Benelli works in Pesaro, where motorcycles were designed and assembled. Its displays trace the city's motorcycling history through Benelli and MotoBi machines, racing motorcycles, photographs and workshop objects.

Why it matters

Pesaro's motorcycle industry shaped the city through much of the twentieth century. The museum preserves the industrial setting as well as the machines, using the former factory to tell the history of Benelli and the related MotoBi marque. It is also a record of the workers and racing culture associated with the city's manufacturing history.

What to notice

The museum's displays are arranged across themed rooms. The Sala Tonino Benelli includes photographs, trophies and engines associated with Benelli, MotoBi and Molaroni. The Sala Giuseppe Benelli presents pre-war motorcycles and early machines made in Pesaro. Another room follows the Leoncino, introduced in 1951, and later models including the six-cylinder motorcycle of the 1970s. A racing section includes competition machines associated with MBA, Piovaticci and MotoBi, as well as the Tornado Superbike.

Context and history

Benelli was founded in Pesaro in 1911. The six Benelli brothers developed a service garage into a motorcycle manufacturer whose products carried the city's name throughout Italy. MotoBi emerged from the same industrial history. After production ended, the former factory buildings survived and were restored for the museum. Its creation brought together the City of Pesaro, the Moto Club Pesaro Tonino Benelli and the Registro Storico Benelli, with the Associazione Terra di Piloti e Motori also involved. Volunteers from the associated groups contribute knowledge of the machines and the people who made them.