Larz Anderson Auto Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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The Carriage House of Larz Anderson Auto Museum
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Carriage House
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| Location | Boston and Brookline, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1888 |
| Architect | Edmund M. Wheelwright |
| Part of | Larz Anderson Park Historic District (ID85003245) |
| MPS | Brookline MRA |
| Added to NRHP | October 17, 1985 |
The Larz Anderson Auto Museum is a special place in Brookline, Massachusetts. It's located in the Anderson Carriage House, which is part of Larz Anderson Park. This museum holds the oldest collection of cars in the United States!
It's a non-profit group that teaches people about cars. They have fun events, talks, and programs just for kids. You can also take walking tours of the park. The museum often changes its exhibits to show how cars have changed our lives and culture.
Contents
Museum History
The car collection began with a couple named Larz Anderson and Isabel Weld Perkins. They started buying cars soon after they got married. In 1899, they bought their first "horseless carriage." It was made by the Winton Motor Carriage Company.
Over the next few years, the Andersons bought at least 32 new cars. They also owned 24 horse-drawn carriages and six sleighs.
As their cars got older, the Andersons stored them in the Carriage House. This building was on their large 64-acre estate in Greater Boston. By 1927, they opened the Carriage House to the public. People could come and see their amazing vehicles.
When Isabel Anderson passed away in 1948, she gave her entire estate to the Town of Brookline. This included the mansion, the carriage house, and all the land. She wanted the car collection to be known as the "Larz Anderson Collection." She also wanted a non-profit group to take care of it.
The Carriage House Building
The building where the museum is located is called the Carriage House. It was designed by an architect from Boston named Edmund M. Wheelwright. It was finished in 1888.
The design of the Carriage House was inspired by a famous castle in France. It's a very big building! It was used to store carriages and house horses. The people who worked with the horses also lived on the upper floor.
When the Andersons started collecting cars, they added a garage. This garage was in the basement. It was used for fixing and maintaining their automobiles.
The Car Collection
The Andersons originally owned 32 motor vehicles. Today, 14 of those original cars are still part of the museum's collection:
- 1899 Winton Phaeton
- 1900 Rochet-Schneider
- 1901 Winton Bullet
- 1903 Gardner-Serpollet
- 1905 Electromobile
- 1906 Charron-Girodot et Voigt
- 1907 Fiat
- 1908 Bailey
- 1910 Panhard et Levassor
- 1912 Renault
- 1916 Packard Twin Six
- 1924 Renault Torpedo
- 1925 Luxor Taxi
- 1926 Lincoln Limousine
Other Vehicles
Besides some of the original horse-drawn carriages and sleighs, the museum also has a collection of old bicycles. These bicycles belonged to Dr. Ralph W. Galen, who loved cycling.
Museum Events
The museum hosts many activities throughout the year. These events bring together people who love specific types of cars. Visitors often drive their own rare vehicles to these gatherings.
Some popular events include British Car Day, Cadillac Day, and German Car Day. There's also Tutto Italiano, which focuses on Italian cars. You can find a full list of these "Lawn Events" on the museum's website.
The museum also has talks about transportation and local history. They even have music concerts in "The Carriage House Concert Series."
Recently, the museum started "rolling" events. These are organized drives for museum members and car fans. Some are overnight trips, while others are single-day drives. They usually start in the Boston area and go to a destination a few hours away.
The Museum Library
The Library and Archives at Larz Anderson Auto Museum are full of materials. They focus on the history of cars, racing, and transportation. You can also find documents about carriages, motorcycles, and bicycles.
The library also has a large collection of materials from the Packard Motor Company. It's a great place to learn about the state of Massachusetts and the Anderson family. You can even find books, plays, and poems written by Isabel Anderson herself!
Past Museum Changes
In 1971, the Andersons' carriage house became the Museum of Transportation. It worked with the Veteran Motor Car Club of America. This museum showed different cars, motorcycles, carriages, and bicycles. It even had a special show about the history of bicycles. Visitors could also see old movie clips with cars from the 1920s.
The Museum of Transportation closed in 1977. It then partnered with The Children's Museum of Boston. The museum reopened in 1979 in downtown Boston. However, this partnership didn't last long. The antique car collection returned to its home at Anderson Park in the 1980s.
Since then, the museum continues to show amazing old cars. It still has the most valuable cars from the original Larz Anderson Auto Collection.
