ok, retirement beckons and I want to see all the notable museums BEFORE I wake up on the wrong side of the grass. Top 10 bucket list please obviously with preference to Ferrari and all Italian makes first. Been to Maranello, Newport Pagnell (what a dump) but that's about it, not interested in trash like Travants or similar. Also, one of the criteria is that they MUSt be near some good shopping centres to keep the other half happy while the boy and I have fun checking the cars out
Hey you mentioned Maranello so "outside of Oz" must be fair game..... 1. The Peterson Museum in Los Angeles is pretty amazing... they have a "supercar" exhibit going right now (full thread in the Silver section). It's on Wilshire Blvd... some of the best shopping in the world 2. The car museum in the crappy Portofino Hotel in Vegas... hotel sucks, car exhibit is AMAZING. Several million $$ worth of Ferraris there. It's Vegas... you can shop til you drop, and gamble until you can't shop anymore 3. Right in my own town, the Le May car museum opens this spring. Mostly American cars but from what we're hearing, it's going to be spectacular Uh..... no shopping ... Starbucks count? Tacoma, Washington state, is an armpit.... sort of Mt. Isa of the USA 4. The Henry Ford in Dearborn Michigan.... they have the Ford GT40 that won Le Mans from like 1960 to 1967 (beating Ferrari!), along with the limo that Kennedy was killed in, and Henry Ford's first car. Right near Detroit... you can pick up some bling for the missus Now back to my trailer in Bogan Vista trailer park Jedi
Donington and Schlumpf would top my list - the Alfa museum at Arese is in theory closed, but I know people who have visited recently. BMW and the recently upgraded Porker haus are worth a look. Ducati Museum is good from reports, if you're into that sort of thing. There is a BMC/BL etc museum somewhere in the midlands that was interesting. I know you said cars but the aero engine hall in the Science Museum is a must see...
thanks Jedi, seen the Peterson museum, nice but not my kind of museum, I like historically significant cars, the new stuff is boring. Not really interested in American cars but I must re-visit Harrahs Donington and Schlumpf are on my list Is the aero engine in the Science Museum, is that in the midlands as well ? I remember running across a small interesting car museum in NZ 20 yrs ago, any kiwi remember it, on the west coast from memory ?
Have you checked out the mullin museum in Oxnard,CA? Mostly, if not all, French art- deco era cars. http://www.mullinautomotivemuseum.com/index.html Only close by shopping are outlets, but LA is only an hour and half away.
Although it may not be everyone's 'cup of tea' but the DNA Garage in Zama, housing just over 400 cars that Nissan/Datsun and Prince produced (from the 30's to present day) is certainly one place that has heaps of motoring history. The cars are housed in in of the companies disused factories near Yokohama. What also makes this a bit more unique is that it is not open to the public and only for Nissan employees and even then it is not guaranteed that you will get in to see the cars. As I said it may not be to everyone's liking but here are a couple of links of photos anyway http://www.twinturbo.net/net/viewmsg.aspx?forum=general&msg_id=2079707 http://www.nicoclub.com/archives/the-history-of-nissan-dna-garage.html
Pretty amazing stuff. I didn't know they have been around for so long. I like this Nissan Testarossa. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Got a bit of a soft spot for this marque as the wife has got a Prince Skyline GTB (1 of only 300 brought into Australia - and a lot less here now) and a Datsun Fairlady 1600 Sports as part of her 8 car collection........ Luckily for me she is into cars as well
oh yes, must put that on the list ... and the family love LA so it's a cert thanks , I love those sort of cars
The Science Museum is in Kensington in London. Well worth a visit You've got Donnington, Beaulieu is also worth visiting.
I think the science and imperial war museums are the ones to see. I'd be happy to do a letter of introduction to a few private collections,but I'd prefer that my UK friends and European ones,had no idea i knew Morrttiiee
Getting some good suggestions here John, & I'm taking note too, knowing zero about US museums - thanks Jedi!. Hopefully, I'm starting my museum tour this year, not that I'm intending (or can afford) retiring anytime soon. With your aviation background the field is open, try Duxford and the R.J. Mitchell in Southampton. But yes, the Science museum in Kensington is wonderful - 10 minutes walk from the underground.
Moretts, we went to the Petersen Museum in LA in August 2010. I thought it was very good. The number one exhibit for me, that remains in my memory today from the visit to Petersen's was the Skull Motorcycle. Here is a photograph of it, though not from my camera. Photograph does not do justice to what is a true Automotive Work of Art. Although this may not sound very exotic, if you haven't seen the National Motor Museum located in Birdwood in South Australia, you really should. I found it very worthwhile and thoroughly enjoyable. Image Unavailable, Please Login
I was being generous.....afterall he had a 2300s. You should go to a few of the British aviation museums - really significant stuff - especially Southampton, you'd love it.
been to Birdwood several times, love it, 275GTS was the stand out for me I love aircraft as you know Dave, got my worst case of sunburn at Biggin Hill many moons ago, but was worth it as 3 Spitfires made a fly past Image Unavailable, Please Login
Was almost going to put this in the 288GTO V F40 thread as this guy also has one of each in his garage but thought it may be a bit more suited to this thread. Another impressive car collection owned by Ken Lingenfelter (he is also known as the Sultan of Michigan) that is not generally open to the public. What started out as five cars packed into a modest three-car garage has since grown into a beautiful collection of more than 150 unique cars in a 40,000 square foot space. It has been an amazing and exciting transformation. http://www.thelingenfeltercollection.com/about/
