Peterson Automotive Museum Reopens with Exciting New Technology and New Exhibits

It took a little over a year to do it, but the Petersen Automotive Museum met its deadline and is ready to open its doors after under going $90 million in renovations. It will open to the public on Monday, December 7.

Architect Gene Kohn and his firm Kohn Pederson Fox (KPF) designed the museum's new façade of 308 stainless steel ribbons wrapped over the building's now painted bright red exterior. Forbes remarks, "The effect brings to mind automotive slipstreams or blurred lines of taillights..." The museum has also gained an additional floor and 12,000 square feet of gallery space, after third-floor offices were moved to the basement level.

The renovations also make the museum's pieces more appealing to the younger audience with their new interactive technologies in the their displays, done by exhibit designer The Scenic Route. Museum curator Leslie Kendall, in speaking with the LA Times, explains the change.

"For the last 20 years, people were getting their information looking at cars with placards in front of them. Today people learn by touching, by interacting electronically. We're trying to keep up."

The gallery spaces will include varying exhibits showcasing different cars and motorcycles over their history. Motor Trend reports their excitement for the "Precious Metal" exhibit, among others, in the Bruce Meyer Family Gallery, which has an estimated $120 million worth of silver painted American and European cars.

There is also a Hollywood themed exhibit featuring such cars like James Bond's Aston Martin DB10 in Spectre, and the 1989 Batmobile. The underground garage space dubbed the "Vault" will display 125-150 vehicles from the 300+ piece permanent Peterson collection. It will also display a gallery of motorcycles, with a model chosen to represent the best of each decade in the two-wheeler's history.

The most important goal of the renovations was to encourage the return of visitors. Peter Mullin, the museum's chairman of the board of directors, hopes that such installments like 10 Microsoft Xbox Forza driving simulators and the 291 three-dimensional displays of engines and scale models will help the museum reach its goal.

The fundraising campaign to support the renovations and future operation was achieved by $94 million in pledges, enough to cover the costs of construction and maintain a $34 million operating endowment. Private individual donors created more than 90% of the fund, with many of the Peterson board members involved. There was no government money involved.

Originally opened on June 11, 1994, the new museum is located on the "Miracle Mile", a stretch of Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles that also has such features as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, La Brea Tar Pits, and the future Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Now with the renovations complete, the museum can stand proudly out among its neighbors.