Museo della Figurina

The Museo della Figurina in Modena is a one-of-a-kind museum devoted entirely to the history and development of collectible cards. It is housed in the historic Palazzo Santa Margherita and grew out of an initiative by Giuseppe Panini, founder of the Panini Group and a pioneer of the modern trading card. From the very start of his company, Panini collected hundreds of thousands of small printed items from around the world, and in 1992 he gave them to the public together with the city of Modena as one of the most significant collections of its kind. The permanent exhibition includes about 500,000 cards and is displayed in a large hall with six display cases designed to look like giant albums. Here you can marvel at around 2,500 originals that trace the path from the early chromolithographic techniques of the 19th century to the modern sports cards produced after World War II. Alongside classic collectible cards, the museum also shows related items such as cigarette cards, menus, and labels. The offerings are rounded out by rotating special exhibitions, a workshop for educational activities, and a specialized library.