A beloved icon of la dolce vita and modern Italian culture, the stylish scooters are celebrated in a small permanent exhibition located beneath a bike hire store near the Imperial Forum. Visitors who venture into the basement of the Bici & Baci shop will find a Vespa shrine with vintage models from across the decades.

On display alongside the scooters, advertising material and mannequins dressed in period clothing attest to the brand’s heritage. Photographs of film stars like Charlton Heston, Audrey Hepburn, and Gregory Peck riding Vespas also showcase the vehicle’s status as an emblem of cool.