Friday, March 19, 2010
By Rachel Bracker
Editor-in-Chief
Nestled behind LAX and between aerospace engineering buildings, an homage to the transport of the masses awaits the interested public.
The Automobile Driving Museum in El Segundo offers its patrons intimate and interesting insight into the history of cars, both as a fashion icon and as a functional element of society. Most of its vehicles demonstrate the luxurious nature of expensive cars made during the ‘30s and ‘50s, but their showcase houses many other iconic vehicles (including a replica of the 1896 two-piston Benz-patented motorwagon, an old military tank and, of course, a Delorean.)
Unlike the better-known Los Angeles motorist museum mecca, The Petersen Automotive Museum, the Driving Museum occupies a smaller space and allows visitors to actually ride around in (or at least touch) its cars. They sprout a somewhat cheesy motto: “It’s the museum that takes you for a ride!” but going around in their old-school rides is a one-of-a-kind experience that makes the museum legitimate fun for all–from parents who reminisce to teens with lusty views of muscle cars.
A majority of their quite large car collection is available for their Sunday rides, including some of their rarer coupes, although they choose a few cars to give rides in each week. Riders need to sign a liability waiver, but all of the trained docents drive the cars around their predetermined route earlier in the day and the cars are checked routinely for safety.
However, a decided benefit of attending the museum on a non-riding day is the lack of people. A docent can guide one through the museum for hours, personally explaining the cars. Museums with collections as impressive as the Automobile Driving Museum very rarely have docents who can give such individualized attention, and the rarity of this only makes visiting the museum at off-times a greater treat.
Of course, the scale of the museum does have its drawbacks. At major museums, cafés are often a must-visit, being offshoots of well-known restaurants (like Patina’s Plaza Café at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art). Museums also house excellent books and paraphernalia for enthused patrons in their gift shops. The Driving Museum’s snack shop shouldn’t be trusted for more than a bottle of water, and the gift shop is stocked somewhat randomly.
Even if one isn’t interested in cars, the lavish nature of their fancier cars (some of which are presented in a replica 1930s showroom) will amaze cynics, and the volunteers excel at automobile explanations in layman’s terms. The museum functions both for the knowledgeable automobile aficionado and the ignorant Legoland-licensed.
The Automobile Driving Museum is highly-recommended for parents attempting to spend time with their wayward teenage children and teenagers attempting to avoid wayward parents whilst appearing vaguely intellectual. The suggested donation price is $5, and it is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays-Sundays. For more information, visit automobiledrivingmuseum.org.
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