May 2025 (G.T.) – A grand opening for the press and public was held on 16 May at the Piaggio Museum for the new exhibition that evokes a real sense of optimism, even with its title: “Oggi sono il mare – In vacanza con Vespa” (Today I am the sea – On holiday with Vespa”), running until 9 November 2025. It’s one pleasant sensation after another for visitors as they immerse themselves in the exhibition: a riot of colours and meticulously designed staging deliver a real sense of well-being.
The golden sand, the horizon stretching as far as the eye can see, a seaside resort with its wooden cabins, deckchairs, and umbrellas. A perfect summer retreat. A day out full of sunshine, laughter, music, rest and relaxation. A game of beach ball, a swim in the open sea, an aperitif at sunset, a bonfire under the stars. A ride to the beach with friends, each on their own Vespa.
Inspired by an iconic 1982 advertising campaign – conceived by the brilliant Gilberto Filippetti, Pico Tamburini and Tam Fagiuoli (Leader Agency) – an enriched by in-depth iconographic research carried out in the Piaggio Historical Archive, the exhibition ‘Today I am the sea’, designed and organised by the Piaggio Foundation, offers an immersive experience that takes visitors on a discovery of the timeless bond between the Vespa and the sea, two perfect symbols of freedom, adventure and beauty.
In 1947, just over a year after production began, the first illustrated Vespa brochure was published. On the cover, a smiling young woman in work clothes hails the future, in the saddle of a bright red 98 model. On the back of the same brochure, six small illustrations show prospective customers six possible ways that this new means of transport can be used. Among the men rushing to work, to the cinema or to the races are two joyful young women in T-shirts, shorts and straw hats: with their hair blowing in the wind, they ride their Vespas to a sunny beach, easily recognisable by the outline of a parasol.
Since the very start, the Vespa has been associated with a deep desire for leisure, freedom of movement and adventure; a desire that is iconically conveyed in a still image; the snapshot of a moment of happiness. This is how the long love story between the Vespa and the sea begins.
The star of many calendars – with pin-ups drawn by Franco Mosca, elegant models showing off the first two-piece swimsuits, film and television stars, young women immortalised in bikinis by photographer Tam Fagiuoli between the late 1960s and early 1980s – the sea accompanies the history of the Vespa and its international success through the decades. And even as customs and consumption habits change, it remains the perfect backdrop for everything from the first trips out of town in the 1950s to the noisy groups of young people heading off on holiday in the second half of the 1960s.
In 2024, this association reached its peak with the inauguration of Vespa by the Sea in the bay of Paraggi (Liguria region, Italy), a jewel nestled between Santa Margherita and Portofino. The beach concept is brought to life by Vespa's pioneering spirit: distilling the past to invent the future, while staying loyal to its values and heritage.
The Empty Space-Vespa by the Sea:
https://theemptyspace.vespa.com/it-en/vespa-by-the-sea
The exhibition features a selection of images and videos from the Piaggio Historical Archive, as well as a number of iconic Vespa models from the Museum’s collection, enhanced by an immersive experience that lets visitors feel the spirit of carefree fun and freedom of a seaside holiday on a Vespa for themselves!
The admission procedures for the exhibition are the same as those for the Piaggio Museum. The “BOOK YOUR VISIT” link is here: https://www.museopiaggio.it/en/book
