Making a pilgrimage to the Petersen Automotive Museum

Take me to (car) church

For those of us who worship at the altar of automotive enthusiasm, a visit to The Petersen Automotive Museum is as about close as one can get to a religious pilgrimage. The collection is unmatched, the exhibitions are excellent, and the facility itself is spectacular. And yet I’m always surprised at how many self-described car people have never made the trip.

Located at the intersection of Wilshire and Fairfax in Los Angeles, the museum looms large in every sense—a true cathedral to the car gods. Originally constructed to house what would be a short-lived LA outpost of Japanese department store chain Seibu, 6060 Wilshire Boulevard would later find itself home to the first iteration of the Petersen Automotive Museum, thanks to the committed efforts of namesake automotive magazine publisher Robert E. Petersen and his wife Margie.

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The transfiguration of the Petersen

While the museum was well-loved for its first two decades, it would close its doors in 2014 for a much-needed two-year reimagining. The Petersen Automotive Museum as we now know it—the architectural gem with its dynamic exhibitions—opened to the public in December of 2015.

Designed by architecture firm Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), the exterior is said to have been inspired by the form of a car in a wind tunnel, with its stainless steel ribbons evoking speed and movement. Legend holds that the red color matches that worn by Mr. Petersen’s own Bentley Turbo R. In any case, the place still looks like the future, nine years on.

Under the inspired leadership of Executive Director Terry Karges and COO Michael Bodell. along with an enthusiast-filled board and an incredibly dedicated staff and volunteer team. the museum is thriving, setting attendance records and raising the bar with each passing year. And, if the name Terry Karges sounds familiar, it’s because #31 in Disney’s Cars movie was named after him. Kar-gas. Get it? It’s just how these Petersen people roll.

Automotive icons and screen idols adorn the Petersen's hallways

A true world-class destination, the immersive Petersen experience starts even before you enter the museum. The moment you drive into the parking garage you’re surrounded by blue-chip vehicles and artwork. The museum’s lobby, filled with more automotive amazingness, holds a central spiral staircase that invites you to explore three full floors of display space.

The Petersen’s exhibitions are always shifting, but as of late November 2024, the highlights included The Best in Low (zing!) exhibition, which covers the history of Lowriding and includes some of its most iconic builds.

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The Cars of Film and Television seems to have all of the most instantly recognizable Hollywood vehicles, including the original Eleanor from Gone in 60 Seconds, the genuine Ecto-1 Cadillac from Ghostbusters and Marty McFly’s screen-used DeLorean. 

Alternating Currents: The Fall and Rise of Electric Vehicles explores the shockingly long history of battery-operated automobiles while Splendor and Speed: Treasures of the Petersen Collection showcases what Mr. Karges himself refers to as the crown jewels of the Petersen collection and includes his personal favorite, the Shah of Iran’s 1939 Bugatti Type 57C Cabriolet. It’s a truly beautiful thing and a standout even among all the other stunning motorized relics.

The Petersen's basement is an automotive version of "Tales from the Crypt"

Naturally, no visit to the Pete—as the flock calls it—is complete without a trip down to the museum’s “catacombs” to view what’s known as The Vault. 

And while it does come at an additional cost, it’s money well-spent, because where else can you see Saddam Hussein’s as-found Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Landaulet, Elvis Presley’s shot-up De Tomaso Pantera and an actual Popemobile, all in one room? Steve McQueen’s priceless green Jaguar XKSS is in there, too, along with what might be the very first Ferrari ever made and Gen X’s favorite exotic, the Vector W8.

In total, there are something like 250 cars packed away in The Vault, so be sure to take a guided tour, as the stories behind the vehicles on display aren’t always immediately apparent.

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Even the Vatican sells souvenirs

Of course, the museum’s not just about cars, it’s about car culture. The Cars are Beautiful: Mr Brainwash @ the Petersen exhibition recently opened in the museum’s Armand Hammer Foundation Gallery.

Mr. Brainwash is the nom de plume of French-born, Los Angeles-based artist Thierry Guetta, famously the subject of the Banksy-directed film Exit Through the Gift Shop. It’s an involving, inventive and uncanny art experience and while you won’t actually need to exit through it, you’ll still want to visit the Petersen’s fantastic Museum Store, across the lobby, which truly does have something for every enthusiast.

Breakfast burritos and Bruce Meyer

And while most museums aren’t known for their restaurants, the Petersen boasts the excellent Meyers Manx Café, with a space and menu as curated as the Petersen itself. The walls are filled with amazing SoCal ephemera and a hand-picked soundtrack radiates from a vintage reel-to-reel McIntosh sound system. 

Try the breakfast burrito, which is served all day and is named after Bruce Meyer, the car guy’s car guy and Founding Chairman of the museum. When I was there, the man himself happened be seated across from my group and we struck up a great conversation. This is the magic of the Petersen Museum.

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One of the world’s great museums

But the Petersen is more than a museum. It’s the beating heart of our collective automotive community. It’s a must-visit when you’re in Los Angeles but it’s also a destination in and of itself. For the automotive faithful, the Petersen is reason alone to make the trip because after all these years, the Petersen Automotive Museum has achieved something truly remarkable. It’s managed to embody the spirit of what it is to be an automotive enthusiast. Make the pilgrimage.

Tickets range from $12-$21, depending on visitor age. Vault access is available at an additional charge. Parking is $17 for the first two hours and maxes out $23 for the day; spend seventy-five bucks at the Museum Store and it’s free.

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