The Peterson Automotive Museum

The Peterson Automotive Museum
Name	Peterson Automotive Museum
Established	1994
Location	Los Angeles, California, United States
Type	Automotive museum
Director	Michael Khoury
Website	Official website

The Peterson Automotive Museum is a Los Angeles institution focused on automotive history, design, performance, and culture. Founded in 1994 by Otis Chandler and later expanded by patrons including Jay Leno and organizations such as the Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation, the museum anchors the Museum Row corridor on Wilshire Boulevard near the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The institution engages audiences through rotating exhibitions, restoration projects, and public programming tied to regional automotive communities like those in South Pasadena, Beverly Hills, and Pasadena.

History

The museum traces origins to collector and publisher Otis Chandler, whose partnership with trustees from the Los Angeles Times family and donors such as Suzanne and Jon Dalton established the original collection and governance structure; early exhibitions connected to personalities like Jay Leno, Bob Petersen, and philanthropists from California cultural institutions. In 1994 the venue opened in a historic structure on Wilshire Boulevard with leadership involving museum professionals from Smithsonian Institution affiliates and curatorial exchange with international institutions including The Henry Ford and National Automobile Museum. A major renovation completed in 2015 involved developers including Jay Krasne and design teams linked to architects with portfolios featuring projects for The Getty Center and Los Angeles Philharmonic facilities. Post-renovation programming has featured collaborations with collectors such as Jerry Seinfeld, manufacturers like Ford Motor Company, and racing organizations including NASCAR and Formula One.

Architecture and Building

The building occupies a landmark site on Wilshire Boulevard near the La Brea Tar Pits and integrates adaptive reuse strategies seen in projects by firms who have worked for clients like The Broad and Walt Disney Concert Hall. The exterior features a stainless steel ribbon façade designed with engineering consultants who previously contributed to façades for Guggenheim Museum Bilbao projects and commercial designs in West Hollywood. Interior galleries span multiple floors with climate-control systems specified to standards used by Smithsonian Institution conservation labs and exhibition spaces comparable to those at Victoria and Albert Museum. The renovation introduced a signature escalator axis and gallery lighting scheme developed by consultants who have collaborated with MoMA and Tate Modern.

Collections and Exhibits

The permanent collection emphasizes American and international automobiles spanning early 20th-century models linked to manufacturers such as Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Chrysler, Packard, and Duesenberg alongside European marques like Ferrari, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Aston Martin. Special exhibits have showcased celebrity-owned vehicles from collectors including Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, and Ralph Lauren while thematic displays have explored motorsports with artifacts associated with IndyCar, NASCAR, and Formula One. Rotating exhibitions examine automotive design linked to studios such as Pininfarina, Bertone, and Italdesign and cultural intersections documented with materials from archives connected to Los Angeles Conservancy, Getty Research Institute, and private estates like Ettore Bugatti descendants. The museum also houses motorcycles associated with manufacturers like Harley-Davidson and Ducati, racing helmets and suits linked to drivers such as Dan Gurney and A. J. Foyt, and concept vehicles exhibited alongside engineering drawings from firms that contracted with NASA and aerospace suppliers.

Educational Programs and Events

Educational programming partners with institutions such as University of Southern California, California Institute of the Arts, and Otis College of Art and Design to present curricula on industrial design, transportation history, and preservation techniques. Public events include lectures featuring authors and historians published by Chronicle Books and Abrams Books, film screenings in collaboration with American Cinematheque, and hands-on workshops aligned with standards from American Alliance of Museums and professional conservators who trained at Smithsonian Institution labs. Annual festivals connect with community organizations like Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture and motorsport clubs including Southern California Roadster Association and regional chapters of Sports Car Club of America.

Research and Conservation

The museum maintains a conservation lab and research archive housing provenance files, technical manuals, and photographic collections used by scholars from California State University, Long Beach, UCLA, and USC for studies in automotive history, industrial design, and material culture. Conservation projects follow protocols established by consultants who trained at Smithsonian Institution conservation programs and collaborate with specialists from restoration shops affiliated with RM Sotheby's and Bonhams auction houses. The archive supports provenance research tied to manufacturers including Packard Motor Car Company, Studebaker, and Rolls-Royce and contributes object records to national registries and databases maintained by partners such as The Henry Ford and regional historical societies like the Los Angeles Historical Society.

Visiting Information

Located on Wilshire Boulevard in the Mid-Wilshire district, the museum is accessible via public transit connections to Metro B Line stations and regional bus routes operated by Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Visitor amenities include timed-entry tickets, docent tours led by volunteers trained according to American Alliance of Museums guidelines, and accessibility services compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 standards. Nearby cultural destinations include Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Museum Row institutions, and commercial districts in Koreatown and Beverly Hills.

Category:Automobile museums in California Category:Museums in Los Angeles