California Automobile Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids California Automobile Museum (1987–present) |
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| Former names | Towe Ford Museum (1987–1997), Towe Auto Museum (1997–2008) |
| General information | |
| Status | Operational |
| Type | Museum |
| Architectural style | Warehouse |
| Address | 2200 Front Street |
| Town or city | Sacramento, CA 95818-1106 |
| Country | United States of America |
| Coordinates | 38°34′13″N 121°30′42″W / 38.5703872°N 121.5117473°W |
| Current tenants | California Automobile Museum |
| Groundbreaking | June 1986 |
| Completed | September 27, 1986 |
| Opened | May 1, 1987 |
| Owner | California Vehicle Foundation |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 1 |
| Floor area | 72,000 square feet (6,700 m2) |
| Other information | |
| Parking | Free |
The California Automobile Museum is a really cool place in Sacramento, California. It's a museum all about automobiles! You can see over 150 amazing cars there. This includes classic cars, fast race cars, powerful muscle cars, and even very old cars. They are all displayed across a huge space of 72,000 square feet. The museum's main goal is to save, show, and teach everyone the story of cars. They also want to show how cars have changed our lives.
History of the California Auto Museum
The California Automobile Museum was the first car museum in the western United States built to last forever. It started in 1983 as the California Vehicle Foundation. The museum first opened its doors in 1987. Back then, it was called the Towe Ford Museum. It had the world's largest collection of Ford cars. These cars were from Edward Towe, a banker from Montana.
The very first car given to the museum was a restored 1938 Buick sedan. It was a gift from John Joyce, who was the president of the Golden One Credit Union. You can still see this car at the museum today! In 1997, the museum changed its name to the Towe Auto Museum. This was because they started showing all kinds of cars, not just Fords. Then, in 2009, the museum's leaders officially changed the name again. It became the California Automobile Museum. This new name showed how much the museum had grown and what its bigger mission was.
What You Can See at the Museum
About 40% of the 150 cars at the museum belong to the California Vehicle Foundation. The rest are borrowed from private collectors. The cars you see show a mix of vehicles driven in California over the last 120 years. They are usually arranged in order from oldest to newest.
Besides the cars that stay in one place, the museum also has "rolling exhibits." These are special displays that change often. They might show specific types of cars, like Japanese cars or tiny "micro cars." You can explore the museum on your own. But, if you want, friendly guides called "docents" are there to give you free tours.
Fun Activities and Special Cars
The museum also has "[Sunday Drives]." This is a cool chance to ride in one of the museum's cars! It's free with your admission on the third Sunday of every month. Plus, every day, there are five cars you can actually sit inside!
Here are some of the amazing cars you might see:
- One of only 40 1997 General Motors EV1 electric cars left.
- A 1982 Porsche 911 SC Targa that used to belong to singer Linda Ronstadt.
- A 1978 Kawasaki KZ1000C California Highway Patrol motorcycle. This was used in the famous "CHiPs" TV show!
- A 1974 Plymouth Satellite that was once owned by Governor Jerry Brown.
- A 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 that belonged to a car magazine editor named Tony Hogg.
- The 1963 Shelby Cobra Replica used in the movie "Ford v Ferrari."
- A 1956 Cadillac Eldorado that belonged to actress Rita Hayworth.
- A 1951 Nash Rambler Convertible used by Marilyn Monroe to promote her movie "Monkey Business."
- A 1940 Lincoln Town Car that was owned by Clara Ford, the wife of Henry Ford.
- A 1933 Lincoln KB that belonged to Bank of America founder A.P. Giannini.
- An 1896 Ford Quadricycle Replica, which is a copy of Henry Ford's very first car.
- An 1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen Replica, a copy of what many consider the world's first car.
- A 1909 Model T touring car, a very early and important car.
