With the exhibition “Ruota Libera”, the Regional Cultural Heritage Authority of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region (ERPAC) presents a major project at Villa Manin dedicated to the bicycle: an object that appears simple, yet has had a profound impact on the social, cultural and technological history of the last two centuries. Curated by the collector Mario Cionfoli of Vicenza, the exhibition offers a narrative journey spanning different eras and contexts, recounting how this mode of transport has expanded the possibilities of movement, work and discovery for millions of people.

The story begins in 1815, when Baron Karl von Drais devised the draisine, the first wooden prototype of a bicycle, created in response to a severe climate crisis that had drastically reduced the number of horses. From an expensive object and status symbol, the bicycle gradually transformed into an increasingly widespread means of transport, becoming a tool for work, a means of daily travel and the star of new forms of sporting competition, with the first cycling races and major sporting events helping to turn it into an opportunity for social redemption.

“The bicycle is not merely a means of transport: it is a symbol of freedom, emancipation and discovery,” emphasises curator Cionfoli. “With this exhibition, we aim to show how a seemingly simple object has helped to transform society, influencing culture, sport and technological development.”

On display are 62 historic and contemporary bicycles, on loan from the “Bicicleria” museum in Vicenza, the Salcedo Bicycle Museum (VI), the Renato Bulfon Collection in Mortegliano (UD) and the private collection of Alessandro Gallici. Among the models on display are iconic examples from the history of cycling (such as Gino Bartali’s 1946 Legnano, Tadej Pogačar’s Colnago, or Marco Pantani’s bike) alongside bicycles that bear witness to the technical and design evolution of the vehicle.

The exhibition, organised into thematic sections, is accompanied by period photographs, original documents and archive material illustrating the technical evolution of the bicycle: from iron and steel frames to aluminium and carbon fibre, and from the earliest mechanical systems to the most recent innovations such as electronic gear changes and disc brakes.

Ample space is also devoted to technology transfer, to show how many innovations originating in the bicycle sector have contributed to the development of other industries, from the motorcycle and automotive sectors to aeronautics. The exhibition concludes with a look at the present and the renewed interest in more sustainable forms of mobility.

The exhibition also highlights the role of the bicycle in the process of women’s emancipation: the opportunity for women to get on a bike, initially hindered by mistrust and discrimination, represented an important step towards new forms of independence. A symbolic figure of this journey is Alfonsina Strada, the only woman to take part in the men’s Giro d’Italia in 1924.

Lydia Alessio-Vernì, Director General of ERPAC, said: ‘Villa Manin once again proves itself to be a privileged space for dialogue between history, culture and innovation. The uniqueness of the “Ruota Libera” exhibition lies in its ability to recount two centuries of social, technological and cultural transformations through an everyday and universal object such as the bicycle.’

With its blend of history, technology and popular culture, “Ruota Libera” invites the public to rediscover the bicycle as one of the most significant objects of modernity. A programme of accompanying events open to the public is planned for the duration of the exhibition.

USEFUL INFORMATION

Exhibition opening hours:

From 19 May to 30 August 2026

Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 7pm

Special opening:

Tuesday 2 June