The first Museum completely dedicated to the Targa Florio which exists in the Sicilian territory. It resides in Cerda, in the rooms of the ex Motel Aurim, which before contained the Alfa Romeo garages.
The Museum was born as a lasting photographic exhibition wanted by the Cultural and Sporting Association “Pro Targa Florio”, formed on occasion of a meeting of old cars on 29th July1999.
The following year the exhibition, which is not restricted to showing not only photographic material but also different antiques, is defined as “Targa Florio Museum”, from national and foreign press. Today the Museum offers a really wide collection of authentic objects: photos, books, pictures, magazines, models on the scale of 1 to 43 of racing cars which took part in various events of the Targa, the Florios’ antiques. Among the other things, you can see the plate of 1926, the only that was given by Vincenzo Florio to a constructor firm, whose name is Bugatti, which achieved the first three positions that year. The plate given to Bugatti is the only model of a racing trophy attributed to a constructor firm. Baron Pucci’s crash helmet and clothes, the winner of 48th Targa, are reason of attraction for visitors of the Museum, who also can see the plastic models of the stands in Cerda, the so-called “Floriopoli”, and read the pilots’ results and lists. The Museum in Cerda, managed with enthusiasm and expertise by Antonino Catanzaro, a big student of the Targa, and created thanks to the contribution of Dr. Calogero Romano, the actual President of the Association, gives the fans of racing cars the possibility of living again the splendours of the glorious past of the Targa Florio. To visit this Museum makes live again the ancient emotions which were stirred up from the Targa for several years, making the Sicilian circuits appreciated and famous all over the world.
In Januar 2004 the Palichè Team gave a medal to the Museum as praise for its carried out activity; the prize-giving took place at the Politeama Theatre in Palermo.
However, the Museum, the organization and the serious Director of the Museum, who has been able to managing and spreading the huge cultural and sporting patrimony that he has got, have always received praises and appreciations.
There are several national and foreign newspapers, even not sporting ones, which have talked about the Museum: the Teknikens Varld (Sweden), Drive (Greece), MotorSport, Ruote Classiche, Auto d'epoca, Sicilia Motori, Grace, Magazine BPL, Dove, Itinerari e luoghi, Auto e Moto, Giornale di Sicilia, Percorsi, Il Mediterraneo, Le Madonie, Motociclismo d'epoca, Qui Touring.
In different newspapers, the Museum has been defined as a compulsory route for fans of the Targa and for all the sportsmen around Madonie Mountains. Provincial touristic Enterprises, Carabinieri, Lonely Planet.
The Museum is open on Saturdays and on Sundays and public holidays and it is easily reachable by traveling over the SS 113 in the direction of Cerda.
If you want to receive more details or plan midweek guided tours inside the Museum- totally free- you can apply to Mr. Antonino Catanzaro