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California Automobile
Museum 2200 Front St. Sacramento, CA (916) 442-6802
calautomuseum.org
California Automobile
Museum (formerly Towe Auto Museum) in Sacramento, California is a 71,000-square-foot
facility initially named after car collector Edward Towe, but then renamed
in 2009, removing Towe's name from the title. Initially filled with
antique automobiles on loan from the Montana banker's private collection of
250+ Fords and antique autos, the nonprofit California Vehicle Foundation (CVF)
operates the museum and its many community-oriented programs such as
classes, seminars and organ concerts. Formed in 1986 through a Ford Motor
Company grant of $100,000, CVF arranged for Edward Towe to exhibit most of
his automobiles in the Sacramento car museum.
The museum features nuts & bolts
displays and lots of eye candy. Shiny red classic cars, a 50s-style set and so much
more are featured in eye-catching displays showcasing vehicles from 1880 to
turn of the 21st century. In the collection you may find a 1929
Lincoln Sport Phaeton, 1930 REO Flying Cloud sports coupe, 1937 Gilmore
Midget race car, 1940 LaSalle Convertible, 1947 Motorcycle Indian Chief,
1957 Ford Thunderbird, 1961 Volkswagen Type 1 Sedan, 1962 Lotus Elite,
1966 Ford Shelby GT-350, 1977 Lincoln Continental and many, many more items.
When the Museum opened its doors in
May 1987 it was filled with Towe's Fords. A costly sell-off
of vehicles to pay IRS bills required re-configuration of the museum and its
collection. The museum now houses a variety of
antique vehicles that owners either donate or lend for display. Themed sections of the museum revolving around automotive history include
The Dream of Mobility, a
collection of letter-named Fords preceding the Model T. The Dream of
Luxury is represented by Rolls-Royce, Pierce-Arrow and Hispano Suiza.
The Dream of Cool shows off chopped Mercury and Deuce coupes. The Dream of Speed
displays Lotus and Cobra, motorcycles and dirt track winners. The Dream of
Independence looks
at the early automobile as a provider of newly-found mobility
through mechanical improvements (the electric self-starter) and
mass-production techniques providing affordability. The Dream of Better Times chronicles
the 1930s - 1940s. And finally, a section called The Hall of Technology
offers hands-on displays with cutaway engines and transmissions. Mechanical
design and construction in built-up chassis show engines, transmissions,
differentials, distributor machines, and valve grinders are displayed along
with a variety of hand tools.
Driven by passion, volunteers and
docents offer in-depth, informative tours appealing to a general audience or
customized tours for school children, adult groups and special event
functions held at the museum.
Towe Auto
Museum 2200 Front St. Sacramento, CA (916) 442-6802
www.automuseum.org
Museum is
open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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