Search title image

TRANSACTIONS NEWSLETTER ONLINE

August 1998
Transportation Museums and Attractions

Auto Museums

Tour Highway of History in Auto Museums

Once, before there were traffic jams, parking crunches and self-service gas stations, driving was considered a pleasure and a joy, if not an adventure. It was called "motoring." Although rarely experienced on today's freeways, the pride, romance and excitement of motoring are alive and well at four major automotive museums in California, plus two more across the state line in Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada.

In its own distinct way, each museum captures the powerful and ubiquitous impact of automobiles on 20th century life. Through displays, lifesize dioramas and multimedia presentations, the museums showcase extensive collections of historic vehicles and related objects, ranging from horseless carriages, classic models, hot rods and sports cars to rare and one-of-a-kind models and once-prized possessions of famous and infamous figures.


1949 Hudson Super 6 Custom, dubbed a "lead sled" because of the Fifties fancy for removing chrome trim, door handles, hood and trunk latches and "leading in" the body to give an ultra-smooth appearance. (San Diego Automotive Museum)


The Bay Area happens to be home to one of the finest auto collections in the nation. The Blackhawk Automotive Museum in Danville, celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, exhibits 120 cars at a time, each with special artistic merit and historic significance. Housed in galleries in a striking three-story, glass, granite and steel edifice, the unique "rolling sculptures" are presented as works of art. From Bugattis and Duesenbergs to a rare 1968 Bizzarrini 5300 S1 Spyder and James Bond's Aston Martin, the gleaming models are set against a black backdrop to showcase their styling and elegant designs. The museum, an affiliate of the University of California at Berkeley, also boasts the largest collection in the world of automotive art and artifacts, plus an extensive research library.

Just over an hour's drive east in Sacramento, the Towe Auto Museum with 160 collector vehicles, including 30 antique Fords, presents auto history in a series of "dream theme" exhibits that illustrate America's undying passion for autos, from their early invention (the "dream of mobility") to racing ("the dream of speed").

Cultural historians and auto aficionados alike must visit the mecca of "auto-thropology," the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, which is dedicated to portraying the auto's influence on our lives and culture. Appropriately featuring Los Angeles -- "the only major city entirely shaped by the automobile" -- the museum's 200-plus rare and classic cars, trucks and motorcycles are incorporated into real-life scenes. Visitors can stroll through L.A. streetscapes from the turn of the century, Hollywood in the 1930s, a full-size replica of a 1929 gas station and a 1950s-style "chop shop." The "L.A. Autotude" display depicts bizarre and eccentric cars seen on the city's streets. The four-story, 300,000 square-foot museum, located in the Miracle Mile district, is a treasury of cultural Americana, from memory lane to the fast lane.

Farther south, the San Diego Automotive Museum, housed in a building originally constructed for the 1935 Pan American Exposition in Balboa Park, is worth repeat visits, since its exhibits of classic and historically significant autos change several times a year. The museum also has a comprehensive research library and a workshop, where visitors can see auto restorations in progress.

Reno is home to the National Automobile Museum, which contains over 200 antique, vintage, classic and special vehicles that belonged to the collection of William Harrah, well-known Nevada casino and hotel owner. Among the world-famous cars are the 1907 Thomas Flyer that won the 1908 New York-Paris race, Elvis Presley's 1973 Cadillac Eldorado and the 1949 Mercury coupe James Dean drove in "Rebel Without a Cause." Vintage cars are displayed in four street-scene galleries, each representing a quarter of the 20th century. Visitors can view fashions from the early 1900s, observe maintenance and detailing at the museum's automotive shop, and visit Harrah's extensive automotive library.

In Las Vegas, you can bypass the casinos and head to the Imperial Palace Antique and Classic Auto Collection to find a wealth of auto culture. More than 200 antique and classic vehicles glitter in plush galleries. The finds include a rare 1897 Haynes Apperson, which ran on either naphtha or cleaning fluid; the largest collection of Model J Duesenbergs in the world; cars that belonged to U.S. presidents, including John F. Kennedy's 1962 Lincoln Continental "Bubbletop" and Franklin D. Roosevelt's unrestored 1936 Cadillac; as well as those once owned by historic figures such as Adolf Hitler, Emperor Hirohito, Al Capone, Howard Hughes, Marilyn Monroe and many others.
- Marjorie Blackwell

Contents