NEW CAR SHOWROOM
Bugatti
Opens Saturday, March 14, 2009
It's the late 1930's and you need a new Bugatti. Which one would you choose? Come window-shop at our authentically-styled 1930's new car showroom located in our Streetscape walk-through diorama.
Misfits of Motordom
Open through 9/20/09
An in-depth study of the truly bizarre, the poorly developed, and the unfeasible ideas that people have seriously attempted to sell to the general public. Learn where they went wrong! An autotorium of automobile oddities from around the globe, and certainly the only assembly of vehicles where the Edsel is the "normal" car, these vehicles are sure to amaze and amuse. (Also see Curator's Tour elsewhere in this list)
What Were They Thinking? The Misfits of Motordom
Tuesday, March 24, 2009, 7:30pm
Grand Salon
Join Curator Leslie Kendall for an in-depth tour of the Museum's latest exhibit, "What Were They Thinking? The Misfits of Motordom", which showcases how innovators throughout automotive history have sought to overcome automobile design and engineering challenges with the application of "out of the box" thinking. During his tour, Mr. Kendall will share the history of the vehicles on display whose designs embodied innovations, styling themes, and other characteristics that were ultimately revealed to be of questionable value or limited appeal.
ART CENTER STUDENT DESIGN DEMONSTRATIONS
March 8 and 22, April 12 and 26, 2009, 10am-3pm
Streetscape
Students from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena will be working in the exhibit Imagining the Future: The Southern California Design Studio from approximately 10am to 3pm, sketching and using digital design tools to produce never-before-seen automotive creations.
What Were They Thinking? Industry Perspectives
Tuesday, April 7, 2009, 7:30-9:00pm
Grand Salon
Expert insiders from different areas of the automotive industry (e.g. sales, design, journalism) will gather to share their experiences dealing with different vehicles and the positive and/or negative public perception surrounding them. Topics of discussion will include: What is the most important feature of a successful car? What is the most common mistake manufacturers make when they introduce a new model? What should have been a great car and why wasn't it? Guest panelists will include author Dan Neil of the LA Times; Mike Sullivan, owner of the LA Car Guy dealerships; production and design consultant Eric Noble of The Car Lab; and Charlie Vogelheim, automotive analyst with experience at both Kelley Blue Book and J.D. Power & Associates. Reservations are recommended.
SAFETY SEAT CHECK UP DAY
Saturday April 25, 2009 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Bring your child, car seat and automobile to the Petersen Automotive Museum and have certified Child Passenger Safety (CPS) technicians teach you how to properly install your car seat(s). This event is open to the public and is free of charge. Participating families will receive a two-for-one admission coupon to the Petersen Automotive Museum.SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A., the national non-profit organization dedicated to child passenger safety, partners with the Petersen Automotive Museum to present the annual Safety Seat Checkup Day. Check your vehicle for proper use of child safety seats and get a current, comprehensive recall list in the family resource packets. For more information please contact Officer Heather Hoglund, CHP Southern Division, at 818-240-8200
TREASURES OF THE VAULT
On view through June 7, 2009
Second Floor Gordon R. Howard Gallery
The Petersen Automotive Museum collection contains one of the most diverse samplings of important vehicles ever assembled. Thanks to the vision and generosity of founding benefactors Margie and Robert E. Petersen, we have been able to acquire a number of important vehicles that we have not yet had the pleasure to present to the public. This gathering of some of the rarest, most exquisite and most expensive automobiles in history is one not to be missed. Due to the overwhelming popularity of this extraordinary exhibit, it has been extended to June 7th of 2009. From the elegantly outrageous styling of the super-sized "Round Door" Rolls Royce, to cars from heads of state, and cars of beauty and speed -including the Bugatti Veyron, there is something for everyone in this exhibit. (See Docent Tour elsewhere in this list)
Open until 4/26/09
General Motors is celebrating its 100th anniversary. With a history rich in style and innovation, artists have found a great deal of inspiration for their work in the lines and forms of General Motors Automobiles. The Automotive Fine Arts Society (AFAS) will be honoring GM in an exhibition of artwork commemorating General Motors' long history.
On extended display
First Floor LA Autotude Gallery
Getting to a destination in an exotic, classic, or ultra luxury car communicates a great deal about an individual's financial means, personal flair, and attitude toward life. The "butterfly" doors on a 2006 Mercedes-McLaren SLR, the "scissor" doors on a 1994 Bugatti EB110, and the "gull wing" doors on a 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 deftly illustrate how departing from one's vehicle can be just as important as arriving at one's destination. This three car exhibit is an exciting part of over 150 unique vehicles on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum for an extended stay.
IMAGINING THE FUTURE:
The Southern California Automotive Design Studio, Presented in Cooperation with Art Center College of Design
Southern California has been home to more automotive design studios than anywhere else on the planet. The Petersen Automotive Museum has teamed up with world-renowned Transportation Design School, Art Center College of Design to showcase the history of the local design community and its contribution to the world. Visitors will see a comparison of a 1930's studio with a modern-day studio with various examples of the creative process in 2-D and 3-D form from different points in California's rich automotive history. Design demonstrations by Art Center students will occur in the exhibit on the second and fourth Sunday of every month from approximately 10am-3pm. Check the calendar at www.petersen.org for dates.
HOT WHEELS(r) HALL OF FAME
The Hot Wheels Hall of Fame reopens at the Petersen Automotive Museum, featuring Hot Wheels(r) full-size and die-cast cars. Visitors get a look inside the highly prolific Hot Wheels(r) design studio via original models, wooden patterns, injection molds and drawings of original vehicle designs.
HOLLYWOOD STAR CARS
This exhibition features significant cars and memorabilia of Hollywood lore including the Batman showcase featuring the1966 Batcycle and the official Batman suit worn by Michael Keaton in Batman (1989). The exhibit also features "Black Beauty" driven by Bruce Lee in The Green Hornet television series, the "Hannibal 8" driven by Jack Lemmon in The Great Race (1965), a replica of the "Mach 5" from Speed Racer (2008), "Grease Lightning" from the hit movie Grease (1978), plus cars once owned by Steve McQueen, Elvis Presley, Elton John, Fred Astaire, Rita Hayworth, and more!
ALTERNATIVE POWER: LESSONS FROM THE PAST, INSPIRATION FOR THE FUTURE
Responding to our visitors' overwhelmingly positive reception to the first Alternative Power exhibition, the Petersen Automotive Museum has opened a long-term display of Alternative Power vehicles. This exhibition continues to explore the history of automobile power using a wide array of vehicles equipped with innovative propulsion systems. On display are vehicles powered by steam, electricity, turbines, fuel cells, and other sources. From the highly styled 1963 Chrysler Turbine to the recently recalled-and now extremely rare-General Motors EV1, automobiles are presented that illustrate the growth of alternative vehicle technology. Together, these vehicles offer an interesting contrast to those being developed today, and may even inspire modern engineers in their pursuit of the next technological breakthrough.
EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN & FAMILIES
MAY FAMILY DISCOVERY CENTER
Open Tuesday-Friday, 10am-4pm, and Saturday & Sunday, 10am-5pmDesigned to spark a child's interest in science by way of the automobile, the May Family Discovery Center is an interactive learning center that teaches basic scientific principles using the fundamental elements of the car.
Treasures of the Vault Exhibit
March 7 & 8, April 4 & 5, 2009 11:30 am.
Come spend half an hour with our Pit Crew docents exploring the stories behind the fantastic vehicles on display in our feature presentation, "Treasures of the Vault" in the Gordon R. Howard Gallery.
Wooden Race Cars & L.A. BookPALS
Saturday, March 7, 2009, 1-4pm
Join us on the first Saturday of each month for arts and crafts, and at 2:30pm, actors from L.A. BookPALS read stories. In February, kids will use their imagination to make the town of their dreams using cardboard, boxes, and paper. The program is included in Museum general admission. Call 323-964-6308 for more information.
FAMILY FUN SHOPS AT THE PETERSEN AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM!
Kids' Auto Design Studio (dates and times below)
Family Fun Shops expand on the topic of a featured museum exhibition and provide a place where children and parents can discover new ideas and create artwork together. This spring, in conjunction with the exhibits "What Were They Thinking?" and "The Southern California Design Studio," the Family Fun Shop will teach your family how to draw and sculpt cars. Join guest teacher, Leo Gallardo, as he demonstrates the exciting and creative process of automotive design. Enrollment fee for each session is $25/pair and $10 for each additional participant. Space is limited so please call Liv at (323) 964-6308 to reserve your spots.
Car Drawing
Saturday March 21, 2009, 2-4 p.m.
Learn what it's like to be an automotive designer by creating your own car sketches.
Clay Model Car Making
Saturday March 28, 2009 2-4 p.m.
Discovery how to make your one of a kind car sketches into a 3-D reality!
Car Magnets & L.A. BookPALS
Saturday, April 4, 2009, 1-4pm
Join us on the first Saturday of each month for arts and crafts, and at 2:30pm, actors from L.A. BookPALS read stories. In February, kids will use their imagination to make the town of their dreams using cardboard, boxes, and paper. The program is included in Museum general admission. Call 323-964-6308 for more information.
SPECIAL FEATURES AT THE PETERSEN
SPECIAL EVENTS AND FILMING - Please call for event and production requests - (323) 964-6348.
BIRTHDAY PARTIES - Please call for details, pricing and scheduling - (323) 964-6373.
SCHOOL TOURS
Taking a field trip to the Pete is an excellent way to teach your students about the history of Los Angeles and its intertwined relationship with the automobile. Students learn basic scientific principles and their applications as they explore hands-on activities in the Discovery Center. School Tours focus on history/social science, visual arts, and science & technology. Call (323) 964-6358 for information and reservations.
GROUP TOURS - A docent-led tour is available to groups of ten or more. - (323) 964-6346.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES - Come and be a part of the Petersen's "Pit Crew". New Docent Training Class will be held in the fall of 2008. For an application or more information call - (323) 964-6358, email volunteers@petersen.org, or visit www.petersen.org.
MUSEUM STORE - Excellent souvenirs and gifts for auto enthusiasts and museum visitors (323) 964-6328.