We had the honor to visit the Petersen Automotive Museum last week. Many families don't know that this museum is not only geared towards cars enthusiasts but also to families with kids that would love anything cars. The museum is packed with three floors of well-curated galleries filled with over 300 cars that are beautifully restored or kept in its pristine condition. Check out their website: https://petersen.org for a full list of their exhibits and galleries. It will truly amaze you how much you can experience in this state of the art museum.
Here is the Top Three Must See at the Petersen Automotive Museum this season if you go with kids:
1) The Porsche Effect: In collaboration with Porsche Cars North America, the Petersen brings to you the most compelling exhibit with 50 Iconic Porsche, with History in the making, Technology, and Engineering of this super machine and many artifacts that are created by this German Brand company. You can visit this exhibit until January 27th, 2019. This exhibit is very well curated. If you are an enthusiast be sure to set aside an hour or so to enjoy each and every one of the cars displayed. And if you are bringing kids, have another adult take the kids around to other exhibits (especially the Disney Pixar Cars Mechanical Institute (Kids area) on the second floor) while you can stroll around a bit longer.
Here are some of the highlighted Porsche in this exhibit that I found most interesting, (I would list all of them if I could, but I don't want to spoil the fun):
1955 Porsche Continental Cabriolet
This is a car I wouldn't mind driving. The Continental was given a name because they believe that the American Market would more likely embrace a vehicle with an evocative name rather than a number designation. However, Porsche was forced to rebadge once Ford announced that they have already trademarked its name. It was changed briefly to "European", then back to 356.
1958 Porsche Super Speedster
How cool is to find a car owned by King of Cool - Steve McQueen. This Actor turned racer, brought a lot of attention to Porche back in the 50s with all his winning races on the Speedster.
1964 Porsche 901/911
An Icon is Born - Looking to replace the aging 356 (European or Continental at one point), Ferry Porsche's son Ferdinand Alexander Porsche guided his design team in conceiving a vehicle that was distinct from the 356 but still unmistakably a Porsche. The design of the car proved so enduring that the basic concept remains unchanged today despite continuous developments.
1939 Porsche Type 64 60K10
This is what started it all - This Porsche is the foundation of all Porsches. It was built to compete in the 1939 Berlin-Rome endurance race, which was canceled due to the outbreak of war. Only 3 of its kind was built. This car was reconstructed of major components from the second Type 64, which had been dismantled after WWII.
2000 Porsche Carrera GT Prototype
I think the Carrera GT has always been one of the most attractive Porsches. Too bad they don't produce them anymore. Porsche engineers and designers were challenged create a supercar. The car embodied the most advanced racing technology then available and a body shape that was unquestionably derived from the Porsche vehicle family. This is only surviving prototype of its kind.
If you like what you have seen so far, I recommend a visit to the Petersen. And don't forget that they have a special locked up VAULT exhibit that houses only the most exquisite car specimen in history and a few Porsche are there to visit only on special tours.
2) Disney-Pixar Cars Mechanical Institute: Our entire family loves the Cars movies. Every time we have visited this Museum they are always looking for Lighting McQueen, which is permanently on display for visitors to take pictures on the second floor. Since the Porsche exhibit is around, they have added Sally into the mix as a temporary piece at the museum.
The Cars Mechanical Institute, inspired by the animated film, immerses visitors in different interactive stations where they learn about the mechanical systems that make cars work. Kids and adult alike can also paint and personalize virtual cars as well as trace and color their own Cars character to take home. And our littlest car enthusiasts can zoom toy cars around a racetrack.
Don't forget to pick up a CARSpad, an iPad game where visitors design their own virtual racecar, with the help of the Cars characters, as they move throughout the galleries on the second floor. Visitors complete sections by heading to all the checkered flag stations and scanning them into the CARSpad. Once they are finished, visitors can race their own car to try and best Lightning McQueen’s race time. This experience allows visitors to learn about the science and technology behind designing an aerodynamic racecar, with characters from the Cars movie as their guides.
All CARSpad must be checked out by an adult and supervised while in use. For the safety of the children, I do recommend an adult to accompany them at all times. It is a fairly big museum, and you can lose them easily when distracted by all the other shiny cars.
3) Sidewalk Speedsters: The Grown-up World of Children's Cars Exhibit: During the 30s to the 60s, children race cars were super popular. At his hype Children Car Races drew more than 70,000 spectators to one single event. Back then it was exciting seeing kid size sports cars. And the events were also popularized by emphasizing sportsmanship and friendly competition between children. Sidewalk Speedsters: The Grown-up World of Children’s Cars examines the development, purpose and meaning of the children race culture, but because of their tiny size and potential of injuries and maybe also newer generations gravitating towards other technologies that children races have subsided. Nonetheless, it is truly an exhibit for the whole family to enjoy. My children were amazed how other children of there same age could have driven such amazing race cars. You can visit this exhibit til October 31st, 2018 at the Petersen Automotive Museum.
Key vehicles that are featured include a 1927 Bugatti Type 52 “Baby,” a 1995 Meyness Bentley and a 1977 Porsche 936 Le Mans Jr. The exhibit will also showcase a 1968 Disneyland Autopia buggy, a 1931 Custer, a 1945 Plexiglas Lucas, a 1938 Maytag, a 1955 “Homemade,” a 1939 Motokar, a 1934 National Junior Racer, a, “The Lad’s Car,” “The Junior Automobile,” a Chevy Jr., a 1934 Cannonball Racer, a 1954 Vanguard Sidewalk Racer, and a 1955 Viking Craft.
To Visit and for more information:
Petersen Automotive Museum
6060 Wilshire Blvd.
L.A., CA,
Ticket Prices:
16 adults, $13 students (with ID), $8 ages 3 to 12
Exhibit info:
