Walter P. Chrysler Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1999 |
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| Dissolved | 2016 |
| Location | Auburn Hills, Michigan |
| Type | Car museum |
| Collection size | 65 vehicles |
The Walter P. Chrysler Museum was a special place in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It was a car museum that showed off many important vehicles. These cars were made by famous brands like Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth, and Jeep.
The museum was open from October 1999 until December 2012. It briefly reopened in 2016 before closing for good that same year. It was named after Walter P. Chrysler, who started the Chrysler Corporation.
Contents
Exploring the Museum's Design
The Walter P. Chrysler Museum was a large building with three levels. It had about 55,000 square feet of space for exhibits. The outside of the museum looked modern with shiny red granite and black glass. This design matched the nearby Chrysler headquarters.
Construction on the museum began in November 1996. It officially opened its doors to visitors on October 5, 1999.
What Cars Were on Display?
The museum showcased 65 different vehicles. These included old antique cars, unique custom cars, and futuristic concept cars. There were also interactive displays and historical exhibits. They showed how Chrysler created new designs and technology. The museum also explored how cars changed culture.
Inside the Museum: Levels and Exhibits
The museum had a tall, two-story main area called an atrium. In this atrium, a rotating tower held concept cars high up. From here, visitors could go to two floors of galleries.
The lower level focused on the first 50 years of cars. It told the story of Walter P. Chrysler and his company. You could see many rare cars from the early 1900s. A special wall showed a timeline of important people and car companies. These included DeSoto, Hudson, Nash, Plymouth, and Rambler.
The second floor featured the first Chrysler Hemi engine from 1951. This floor also had displays about car styling, electronics, and safety. Another area on a lower level displayed cars from the 1960s and 1970s. It also had a collection of Jeep vehicles and trucks.
Why the Museum Closed
The museum welcomed about 90,000 visitors each year. It made money when it first opened. However, the museum started losing money later on. Because fewer people were visiting, it closed to the public on December 31, 2012.
The museum's collection of cars was then given to the Chrysler Foundation. This is a charity group connected to Chrysler. In 2016, the museum opened again for a short time. It hosted special events and meetings. But it closed permanently on December 18, 2016.
The building where the museum once stood was later changed into office space. The 65 cars from the collection are now shown at special events. They are displayed at the Chrysler Technology Center and other company locations. Today, the former museum building is home to the U.S. headquarters for Maserati and Alfa Romeo.
See also
In Spanish: Museo Walter P. Chrysler para niños
