Martin Auto Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 2008 |
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| Location | 4320 West Thunderbird Road Glendale, Arizona |
| Type | Car museum |
| Key holdings | Vintage historical and classic cars |
| Collection size | >150 |
| Founder | Mel Martin |
The Martin Auto Museum is a cool place in Glendale, Arizona, where you can see lots of amazing old cars. It's a non-profit museum, which means it's dedicated to teaching people about cars and keeping these special vehicles safe for the future.
If you're 5 years old or younger, you can visit for free! Kids aged 6 to 12 can get in for a small donation of $5. For everyone over 12, it's a $15 donation, and seniors (62 and older) pay $12. The museum also offers special guided tours for groups like school kids, veteran groups, and car clubs.
Contents
The Museum's Story
Meet Mel Martin, the Founder
The Martin Auto Museum was started by a man named Mel Martin. He loved cars so much that he wanted to share his huge collection of old vehicles and car-related items with everyone.
Mel started collecting cars way back in the 1960s. Over many years, his collection grew to include all sorts of vintage, historical, and one-of-a-kind cars. He also gathered lots of cool stuff related to the history of cars. Mel and his wife, Sallie, realized they needed a big building to properly show off all their amazing items.
How the Museum Began
In 2005, Mel organized his cars into a private collection. Then, in 2008, he officially opened the Martin Auto Museum. It first started in a regular commercial building in north Phoenix. Most of the cars belong to Mel, but a few are owned by the museum's board members.
In early 2022, the museum moved to a much bigger spot in Glendale. Now, it has over 150 vehicles! There's also a large space that can be used for events. Each car has a display that tells you important details like its year, make, and model.
What You Can See at the Museum
The museum has many different kinds of vehicles. Some are very old, from before the 1950s, and are called "historical vintage cars." Others are "classic cars" from after the 1950s. Some cars are super special because they haven't been driven much, making them very rare. Besides cars, the museum also displays lots of car-related items and even a vintage carousel!
The Martin Auto Museum is a non-profit place, which means it's open for everyone to enjoy. They offer guided tours for different groups, including local schools and car clubs. The museum also has rooms for meetings and can even host events like wedding receptions.
The oldest vehicle you can see at the museum is an 1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen. It's one of the very first cars ever made!
Here are some other cool vehicles you might spot:
- A 1917 Douglas Dump Truck
- A 1922 Chevrolet Boattail Race car
- A 1929 Cadillac Dual Cowl Phaeton that was shown in a special car event called "Arizona's Concours d'Elegence"
- A 1930 convertible Duesenberg "J" Boattail Speedster that once belonged to a famous historical figure
- A 1954 custom-built Oldsmobile with a 1954 Cadillac back. This car was made for the 1977 movie "The Late Show"
- A 1959 AC Bristol, which is very rare because only 21 were ever built
- The 1963 Chrysler 300 pace car that was used in the 47th Indianapolis 500 race
- A 1965 Shelby Cobra that used to belong to the famous car designer Carroll Shelby. Its dashboard even has his autograph!
- A 1990 Ford driven in NASCAR by the racing legend Jeff Gordon
- A 1992 Lister Corvette, which is one of only three concept cars ever made
- A 2000 Pontiac Bonneville that set a world record by going 204 miles per hour for a front-wheel-drive car
You can also see a 1940 McCormick Farmall Tractor and a 1948 American Flyer Whizzer Powered Motor Bike.
Museum Gallery
Here are some pictures of the amazing vehicles and other cool items you can find at the Martin Auto Museum.
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1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen
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Exhibit of pre-1950s vehicles
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Exhibit of post 1950 vehicles
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1965 Shelby Cobra dashboard autographed by Carroll Shelby
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1917 Douglas Dump Truck.
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1922 Chevrolet Boattail Race Car.
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1929 Cadillac Dual Cowl Phaeton.
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1930 Duesenberg "J" Boattail Speedster.
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The straight-8 engine configuration with 265 horsepower engine of the 1930 Duesenberg "J" Boattail Speedster.
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1954 Custom built Oldsmobile-Cadillac
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The Cadillac rear of the 1954 custom built Oldsmobile-Cadillac
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1959 AC Bristol Roadster
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1963 Chrysler 300 pace setter used in the 47th Indianapolis 500
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Different view of the 1963 Chrysler 300 pace setter
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1965 Shelby AC Cobra
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1990 Jeff Gordon's Ford NASCAR Race Car
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1992 Lister Corvette
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The dashboard and interior of the 1992 Lister Corvette.
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2000 Pontiac Bonneville Salt Flats Custom Racer.
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1940 McCormick Farmall Tractor.
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1948 American Flyer Whizzer Powered Motor Bike.
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Automobile industry related artifacts.
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Vintage Carousel.
See also
