Valley Relics Museum facts for kids
Neon sign from the defunct Palomino Club displayed at the Valley Relics Museum
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| Established | 2013 |
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| Location | 7900 Balboa Blvd. Van Nuys, CA 91406 |
| Type | History museum |
The Valley Relics Museum is a cool museum located in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles. It's a place where you can explore the history of this famous valley. In 2017, the LA Weekly newspaper even called it one of the best places for arts and fun in Los Angeles!
The museum was started in 2013 by a person named Tommy Gelinas. It has a huge collection of over 20,000 items. These items show what life was like in the San Fernando Valley from the 1800s all the way up to today.
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What You'll See at the Museum
The Valley Relics Museum is packed with interesting things. You can find many items that tell the story of the San Fernando Valley. It's like a treasure chest of local history!
Famous Signs and Landmarks
One of the most eye-catching things at the museum are the old signs. You can see the original neon sign from the Palomino Club. This was a very popular place in North Hollywood where country music stars used to perform. The museum also has signs from other well-known places in the San Fernando Valley.
The museum even helped save and display the famous Tail o' the Pup hot dog stand. This hot dog stand used to be in Beverly Hills and West Hollywood. It's a fun piece of history!
Cool Cars and Costumes
Get ready to see some unique items! The museum has original costumes made by Nudie Cohn. He was a famous rodeo tailor from North Hollywood. Nudie Cohn designed amazing outfits for country music stars and even for Elvis Presley!
You can also see two special cars called "Nudiemobiles." These cars were custom-made by Nudie Cohn himself. They are still owned by his family and are on display at the museum. One is a 1975 Cadillac Eldorado convertible. The other is a 1964 Pontiac Safari wagon.
Bikes and More
If you love bikes, you're in for a treat! The museum has more than 150 BMX bikes from the 1970s and 1980s. Many of these cool bikes were actually made right there in the San Fernando Valley.
The museum's collection also includes many other fun things. You can see vintage neon signs, old postcards, and items from fast food restaurants. There's even a letter written by Isaac Newton Van Nuys. He was a businessman from the 1800s, and the Van Nuys neighborhood is named after him.
Museum's New Home
In 2018, the Valley Relics Museum moved to a new, bigger location. It is now located near the Van Nuys Airport. The new space is over 10,000 square feet!
Even though the museum is much larger now, it can only show about 45 percent of its entire collection at one time. This is still a big improvement! At its old location in Chatsworth, the museum could only display about 30 percent of its items. This means there's always something new to see when you visit!
